Life As We Know It
by 23hales
Summary: Can Nathan and Haley overcome their differences when forced into unfortunate circumstances?
1. Chapter 1

**So, I have another story for you guys. If you can't tell by the title, I found my inspiration from the movie 'Life As We Know It'. It's going to have the same basic general consensus as the movie but with my own twist and events. I wanted to write a story that was different than a lot of stories out there but also had that realistic "it could happen" vibe to it.**

**It is a Nathan and Haley story, but it will probably have all of the central characters in it as well. But the focal point is Naley.**

**BTW, is anyone else as excited as I am for Lucas' return to OTH next week as I am? I seriously can't wait! I am in some major need to watch my Laley scenes!**

**Anyway, read and please tell me what you think about it. I'm planning on doing at least one update per week. Maybe more if I have the time and have the energy. :) But definitely one per week. So, I hope you enjoy.**

"Here you go. We've got one Turkey on Rhy extra onions, hold the mayo with a side of potato soup." Haley said placing the plate of food down on the wooden table in front of her.

"What about the oy..."

"And oyster crackers." She interrupted the old man. "Honestly, Harold, do you really think I would forget those? I'm hurt." She mock pouted while placing her right hand over her heart.

"Oh, I should never doubt you, Haley. You are such a sweet young woman." Harold complimented.

"I bet you say that to all the girls." She countered playfully.

"Nope. Only you, my dear." He responded. "Really, how is it that a pretty, little thing like you hasn't been snatched up yet?" He questioned.

"Well, when you figure out the answer to that question, please be sure to let me know." She joked as the two laughed. "Enjoy your food, Harold." She said patting him on the shoulder before walking away. She checked on a few other customers before making her way behind the counter and set to work on making another pot of coffee.

"How are the old geezers doing today?" A voice questioned beside her.

"Same old, same old." She answered before turning her head towards the curly haired brunette. "And how was the dinner last night?" She asked.

"Well, let's see...we had Brooke's mom who is always oh so pleasant. Then, we had Dan who was constantly making snide comments 'under his breath' which were directed towards both Lucas and Brooke. Add to that Deb and her best friend, Mr. Pinot Grigio. Oh yes, the dinner was so much fun." Karen answered sarcastically.

Haley couldn't contain her laughter as she listened to Karen recant how the disastrous dinner went. "Well, you can always count on a Scott/Davis gathering to liven up an evening. But hey, at least you and Keith can take comfort in practically being the only parents who are actually sane and normal." She said.

"That doesn't provide me with too much comfort, Haley. Have you met me and Keith?" Karen joked as the two girls laughed. "It's too bad you missed it." She added.

"Oh yeah, I'm crying on the inside. Really, I definitely prefer the fun-filled night I had over a dinner like that." Haley replied.

"Let me guess, studying?" Karen deduced as Haley nodded her head with a playful roll of her eyes. "You have your mid-term coming up this weekend. Are you ready?" She asked.

"Yes and no. I know the material..."

"Well, I should hope so." Karen jumped in. "You've only been studying nonstop for the past three months. You've been working yourself too much."

"I know. Karen, I dream about studying." Haley said dramatically causing Karen to laugh before the conversation turned slightly more serious. "No, I am prepared, and I do know the material. I just feel like I'm going to go completely blank when the exam is placed in front of me."

"You are going to do fine, sweetie. Like you said, you know the material. You just have to keep your confidence up. Here's what you need to do. When the test is placed in front of you, close your eyes and take a deep breath to calm your nerves. And slowly all of that anxiety and worry will seep out of your body. I promise you." Karen advised.

"Are you my therapist now? Should I expect a bill in the mail?" Haley teased.

Karen playfully glared at the young girl while lightly shoving her. "Get to work." She ordered with a chuckle before grabbing the freshly made pot of coffee and making her rounds around the cafe.

Haley picked up an empty tub and headed towards a now vacant table to clean up the leftover mess. She heard the door chime which alerted to a new customer. She looked up and noticed the dimpled beauty making her way towards her. "Hey, Brooke." She greeted.

"Hey, Hales." Brooke returned a little less enthusiastically.

"How did th..."

"Don't ask." Brooke interrupted immediately knowing what her friend was about to ask.

"That good, huh?" Haley began as Brooke glared at her. "Yeah, Karen kind of filled me in with a brief, totally accurate overview." She said.

"It was a disaster, Haley!" Brooke exclaimed capturing a few glances from some neighboring tables. "I get that my mom isn't a fan of Lucas nor Dan of me, but they could just pretend to be happy for us. This is our decision to get married, and I wish they would just accept it." She continued.

"I'm sorry, Brooke. But you know, maybe you could just sit down with your mom and explain that it's not her decision and that her not fully supporting this wedding is hurting you." Haley suggested.

"Haley, who do you think we're talking about here?" Brooke said incredulously as Haley laughed and realized what she had just suggested was completely ridiculous. This was Victoria they were talking about. "Besides, I don't want to do anything to piss her off or upset her. She's paying for this wedding."

"Ooh, good point." Haley agreed.

"Anyway, there's a more important reason why I stopped in here today." Brooke announced changing the subject.

"And what's that, Brooke Davis soon to be Scott?" Haley questioned.

"Well, maid of honor, I'm glad you asked. We have a final dress fitting tomorrow at ten in the morning." Brooke began.

"Like I could forget. You only remind me anytime I eat any type of food with any fat in it." Haley commented.

"Well, I need you to look good in your dress when you're standing at the alter next to me." Brooke stated so casually with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Yup, that doesn't sound shallow at all." Haley said causing Brooke to stick her tongue out at her. "Don't worry, Brooke. I will be there tomorrow morning at ten on the dot, and I will fit into my dress without any problems."

"Good. That's what I like to hear. Now my second reason for stopping in here today. I just wanted to make sure everything is all set for the bachelor/bachelorette party." Brooke questioned.

"Why are you asking me? You and Lucas are planning it yourselves since you've decided to have them together." Haley pointed out confused. She took a second to really observe her best friend, and she furrowed her eyebrows. "There's something you're not telling me. Spill." She demanded.

"Okay, Haley, now don't get mad." Brooke began timidly.

"Don't give me a reason to." Haley countered immediately.

"Nathan'sdecidedtocometothebachelor/bachelorettepartyafterall." Brooke revealed rapidly in one breath before taking a cautious step back.

"What?" Haley questioned knowing that she could not have heard her right. Noticing the apologetic look on her friend's face, she knew she had in fact heard correctly. "Gosh, he wasn't supposed to come. Why is he? Can't you uninvite him?" She whined.

"Considering he's the best man not to mention Lucas' brother and my future brother-in-law, I can't uninvite him, Hales." Brooke countered.

"Stupid jackass." Haley mumbled under her breath.

"Whoa, listen to the mouth on you, Miss Haley James. Who knew you could be so badass?" Brooke teased.

"Shut up." Haley scoffed.

Haley didn't think she'd ever get rid of the "good girl" reputation she earned all the way back in middle school. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes it did feel a little suffocating. She was the girl who was nice to everyone and enjoyed helping others. She was known as the best tutor in high school and tutored probably half of the students. She never got into any fights verbally nor physically. She was never one to talk about people behind their backs. She just in general liked everyone and everyone liked her. Well, almost everyone. There was one person who never failed to get under her skin and drive her completely up the walls.

"This is just great. There goes my hopes of having a good time that night." She complained.

"Oh, quit being such a drama queen." Brooke demanded. "You will probably hardly see him let alone talk to him, and if you do, you are going to suck it up. You are my maid of honor and my best friend, and we are going to have fun celebrating one of my final nights as a single girl. Do you understand me?" She asked in a stern voice.

"Yes, I do." Haley relented with mock enthusiasm.

"That's the attitude I want to hear from you." Brooke said in a chipper voice as Haley chuckled and playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, I have to get going. Bitchtoria wanted me home like ten minutes ago to go over some last minute flower details. It's funny. She's not happy about this wedding and definitely makes sure everyone knows that, but she sure is going out of her way to make it perfect. Go figure." She said walking towards the doors.

"Go figure." Haley called as the two girls waved goodbye before the brunette exited the cafe. She watched as Brooke walked along the sidewalk outside and sighed. Her day was officially ruined. She couldn't believe Nathan was now coming. He was supposed to be busy and in California that whole weekend. Why couldn't he have just stayed away like he said he was? He was probably doing this just to piss her off. That definitely sounds like his MO. The sound of Karen's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Haley, it's really slow in here, and you've only got an hour until your shift ends. Go ahead and get out of here." Karen said.

"Are you sure?" Haley asked.

"Yeah, I can handle this on my own. Besides, I know you're itching to get home so you can study some more." Karen said with a laugh.

"Oh yes. Highlight of my life." Haley laughed sarcastically while taking off her apron and handing it over to her boss. "Well, I guess, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yup. See you tomorrow." Karen repeated.

The two girls said their goodbyes before Haley walked out of the cafe. "Studying here I come." She said aloud to herself as she felt the warmth of the spring weather hit her body. It wasn't too hot, and it wasn't too cold. It was truly the perfect day out. What she wouldn't give to be doing anything but what she had to do. It was so beautiful. She thought about going for a walk along the beach. But just as quickly as that thought popped into her head, she pushed it out. There was no use in thinking about something that obviously wasn't going to actually happen. She sighed sadly before heading in the direction of her home.

* * *

><p><em>Augustine drives through the lane and puts up the basket for two. Chase Budinger blocks the shot as Johnny Flynn scrambles to recover the ball as Houston takes positions and sets up their offensive line. The Bobcats sure are taking a nice beating tonight by the Rockets who have a steady lead at 75-59.<em>

"Damn it!" The raven-haired man exclaimed slapping his palm against the arm of the couch. He watched and listened intently as his frustration increased by the second. "Oh, come on! Where's the defense?" He yelled after Houston made a wide open three-point basket.

All of the other room occupants kept quiet as they listened to their boss' rants. They had all learned by now that it was best to not mutter a single word when Nathan got this way. They had never seen someone with as much passion and love and dedication for the game of basketball as him.

"God, we suck tonight!" He exclaimed.

The tension was so thick in the owner's box. Nobody was even watching the game anymore. All of their eyes were focused on Nathan. They were standing stiff almost as if they were afraid to even move an inch.

Nathan let out an irritated groan before pushing himself off of the couch. "I can't watch this crap anymore." He grumbled angrily while heading towards the vacant table towards the front of the suite. "What's going on with the new marketing angle, Tim?" He asked as he took a seat in one of the chairs.

Everyone else sent apologetic looks towards Tim and gave him a silent 'good luck' with their looks as Tim timidly made his way over to where Nathan was seated.

Over the course of the next twenty minutes and until the game had finished, Nathan and Tim kept themselves busy so Nathan wouldn't have to watch the disaster of a game that was playing out. The Bobcats lost which didn't surprise him one bit, but it still fueled his anger. Right now, all he wanted to do was grab his stuff and get the hell out of the arena. He didn't want to be anywhere near it at the moment. But he had to finish up with his work and get everyone prepared for the following game which was going to be be in California against the Sacramento Kings. Normally, he could wait a few days, but since he was leaving town to go back home during those days, he had to get things ready now.

It was about three hours later when he finally walked into his house. He was exhausted. All he wanted to do was grab himself a beer and sit down on his couch and watch a game he had recorded which hopefully didn't end as painfully as his team's did.

After grabbing his beer, he settled himself on the couch and flipped on the television. As soon as he found his recording, he pushed play just as his cell phone rang. He checked out the caller id quickly before answering, "Hey, Luke."

"Hey, Nate. I caught the game." Lucas said.

"Yeah, don't remind me. That was awful. I don't think I've seen the team ever play as badly as they played tonight. I wanted to tear my eyes out before marching down to that court and chucking the basketball at each and every one of the players." Nathan said dramatically.

Lucas couldn't help but chuckle at his brother. "Sorry, man. It was pretty bad." He said and heard Nathan mutter 'you're telling me'. "Well, at least you're going to get a break from it this weekend."

"Yeah, I definitely need a break. We've been doing so well this year and then tonight happens. I just have this feeling that the games are going to get worse and worse." Nathan stated.

"You're awfully pessimistic tonight. Is there something else going on with you?" Lucas questioned.

"I'm just exhausted. I'm travelling all of the time or going out all the time. I just need a break. I'm really looking forward to being back home for a couple of days and relaxing. And of course, partying with my friends and family to celebrate my brother getting married." Nathan said.

"Speaking of the bachelor/bachelorette party, I..."

"Which I still think is totally lame." Nathan interrupted.

"Anyway..." Lucas said before continuing. "I need to talk to you about the party. As you know, Haley is going to be there and..."

"God, Luke, way to make my night even worse by mentioning her." Nathan interrupted once again. He couldn't believe his brother was mentioning her. She was the last person he wanted to think about let alone talk about.

"And that is exactly why I need to talk to you about the party." Lucas said and heard Nathan groan since he obviously knew what was coming. "Listen, I know you guys don't exactly get along."

"That's an understatement." Nathan mumbled.

"But can you just try this weekend? And if you can't, can you just try to avoid her? She's been really stressed out with studying and everything..."

"Oh yeah, studying. I forgot she had to drop out of college and is only now working on her degree. What is it? Nursing?" Nathan said laughing.

"Damn it, Nathan, will you quit interrupting me! And if you know what's good for you, you wouldn't say anything like what you just said to me again, because brother or not, I am not above kicking your ass!" Lucas warned.

"Fine, Luke. Continue." Nathan said rolling his eyes.

"I was just saying that she's been really stressed out lately and has basically been held up in her apartment for the past few months. She really needs a night out-a stree free night out. And you clearly do, too. So can you just try to get along for one night. And Brooke's going to give Haley this same little speech. And if you can't do it for Haley, can you do it for me and Brooke. We just want to celebrate getting married with all of you guys. So, please just try." Lucas pleaded.

"Okay, man. I will do my best and try." Nathan relented.

"Thanks, Nate." Lucas said.

"But if she goes there, I may not be able to contain myself." Nathan added.

Lucas rolled his eyes before realizing he shouldn't have expected anything else from his brother. "That's fair enough." He conceded.

"So, big brother, you're wedding is two weeks away. Are you ready?" Nathan asked changing the subject.

"Very. It's insane that I'm getting married, but I can't wait." Lucas answered.

"I don't know how you can do it." Nathan began honestly. "I can't imagine finding one girl and wanting to spend the rest of my life with just her. Being tied down like that is not something I'm too interested in."

"Well, you don't know what you're missing. And some day Nathan, I believe you will find that special girl. She's out there. You just haven't opened yourself up to the possibility of opening your heart like that." Lucas said.

"Dude, do you realize how you sound right now?" Nathan joked not letting Lucas' words faze him one bit.

Lucas shook his head. Sometimes his brother frustrated him to no end. He wondered if Nathan would ever settle down. He was worried that Nathan would never find that one person to love completely and who loved him completely all because he was too scared and stubborn to put himself out there like that. "Whatever you say, Nate. Well, anyway it's kind of late. I'll let you get back to whatever game you're watching. And I'll see you this weekend."

"Alright, Luke. See ya." Nathan said as they ended their call. He tossed his cell phone onto the couch next to him while taking a swig of his beer. He was ready for the following weekend. He needed to see his friends and his family and just have a good time. He's been thinking about staying down in Tree Hill until the wedding. Take a full week off. He could easily do his work from there. He just wasn't sure he actually wanted to miss the games. He loved and lived for basketball. But he knew he was getting burnt out and needed some time off. He needed a break from not basketball but from his work and his job as the owner of a professional NBA team.

His mind drifted to what the following weekend was going to entail and instantly thought about Haley. He groaned and closed his eyes while thrusting he head back against his black leather couch. He obviously knew she was going to be there. She was the maid of honor and Brooke's best friend. And they've all been pretty close since high school. They were all a tightnit group within the popular crowd. All except Haley and him. They just didn't click. He thought she was way too much of a prude and "good girl" while she thought he was nothing but a jerk and "manwhore" as she dubbed it. They were literally like oil and water. They drove their friends crazy throughout the years with their constant bickering and arguing.

And even though, Nathan meant the things he's said to and about her, he mostly said them to get under her skin. He loved annoying her. It was like his favorite past time. He loved seeing her all riled up and flustered and frustrated. He was seriously waiting for the day when she was just going to snap. He could only imagine what seeing her like that would be like. He chuckled aloud before taking another swig of his beer.

He shook his head of any and all thoughts concerning Haley James and focused once again on the game playing out on the television in front of him. He could think about Haley and everything else when he arrived back in Tree Hill.

**Please review and let me know what you think! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_May 4, 2009_

Nathan walked into the big house. He looked around. It was just as dark and cold as it's always been. Just being in the entryway reminded him of why he so seldomly came back home to Tree Hill but more importantly why he so seldomly came back to this house. It was quiet-eerily quiet. He hated this house. It brought back way too many unpleasant memories. He missed his family and being back home, but not this home and not his parents.

Nope, he didn't want to be here. He was just about to pick up his bags, turn around, and walk right back out that door. But just as he was bending down, he heard her voice.

"Nathan, you're home."

He stood up and saw his mom walking towards him with her face full of shock and confusion and what he guessed was her way of showing happiness. He couldn't say anything. He didn't know what to say to her.

Deb was so surprised to see her son standing in the entryway of her house. She was sitting on the couch in the den when she heard the front door open. Confused at who that could possibly be considering Dan never came home during the day and didn't usually make his presense known until very late in the evening, she stood up and cautiously made her way towards the door. Her breathing stopped when she saw Nathan. It's been two years since she had seen him. It's been two years since she's talked to him. Not for lack of trying on her part. She called him and sent him letters and e-mails, but he simply cut her and Dan out of his life. Not that she blamed him for one second, but it still hurt.

Before she knew it, she was standing in front of him. She saw the coldness and distance in his eyes. Without thinking about anything further, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She could feel how tense and apprehensive he was as his arms continued to stay down by his sides. She stepped away from him. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Lucas and Brooke have their party tomorrow night." He responded casually with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Right. Yeah, I know that. But why...why, umm, are you here?" She asked.

"If you want me to leave then I can go to a hotel." He stated showing no emotion.

"No, don't be silly. You're always welcome here, Nathan. This is your home." She began and felt her heart break as he rolled his eyes and didn't even try to be discrete about it. "I'm so happy you're home." She said.

"Well, I'm kind of tired from the plane. You know, jetlag." He said sending her a not so subtle hint that he wanted to just get away from her. He wanted to feel bad when he noticed the look of hurt which passed across her face, but he couldn't find it in him to do so.

"Of course." She recovered. She turned around and headed towards the stairs and heard him following closely behind. She heard him scoff behind her causing her to stop and turn around. She noticed him looking off to the right and followed his line of sight to where he was looking into the den but more importantly, he was staring at the wine bottle which was half empty and her completely empty wine glass next to it. "Nathan..." She tried desperately.

"Glad to see some things don't change." He cut her off coldly. He saw her opening her mouth to try to feed whatever lie or excuse she wanted to give, but he quickly put a stop to that not wanting to hear any more. "I think I can find my way from here. My room's still in the same spot, right? That's stayed the same, too, I hope?" He questioned not giving her an inch.

"Of course." She replied defeated and felt completely dejected as she watched him turn away from her and march up the stairs until he was out of her sight completely. She could feel the tears springing to her eyes. She was so happy to have him home once again, but she hated how it was between them. She couldn't fathom the fact of knowing how much her son hated and resented her. At least when he was gone, she could pretend that he still loved her and would forgive her one day in his own way at his own time. But seeing him and seeing the obvious hate-she couldn't take that. "I need a drink." She declared heading straight back into the den while instantly grabbing the actual wine bottle and taking a long gulp.

Nathan opened the door to the room he hasn't stepped foot in in eight years. Once he graduated from high school, he picked up his already packed bags and headed to Florida for this camp called High Flyers and stayed there until it was time to head to Duke University where he was on scholarship for basketball. The only time he ever came back to Tree Hill was on holidays. And when he was in town, he stayed with Keith and Karen. When he graduated from Duke, he was immediately drafted to the Charlotte, Bobcats. He was living his dream and loving every second of it. But just as his life was going in every direction he wanted it to, he blew out his knee two years into his career.

That was the last time he saw either of his parents. They showed up in Charleston at the hospital he was staying and rehabilitating in. His doctor had informed him that his pro playing days were over so he was already struggling with that new found reality, but when his parents walked into his room all hell broke loose. After an intense arguement, he kicked them out of his room and essentially out of his life. He never returned a single call or letter or e-mail they ever sent him. And he rarely came back home to Tree Hill but when he did, he made it a point to avoid the both of them.

Nathan dropped down onto his bed and closed his eyes. He was questioning why he was here. Why did he suddenly decide to come home now after all this time? It's not like he's reconciled anything with his parents nor did he have any plans to. But for some unknown reason he felt it was time to come home completely which meant actually staying at his parent's house with them. But he knew one thing was for sure, he was not about to go easy on either one of them.

He shook his head of those thoughts as he turned his head towards the alarm clock which was sitting on the nightstand next to his bed. He had a few hours before he had to head out and decided to take a nap. He was exhausted and was going to need all of his energy for tonight.

* * *

><p>Haley sighed softly one final time as she pushed herself up and out of the tub. She felt refreshed and rejuvinated which she completely needed after the day she has had. She woke up at five in the morning to cover the morning shift at the cafe. She worked there until one before heading straight to her part-time receptionist job at Tree Hill Memorial Hospital and worked there until five thirty in the evening. And add to that the stress and anxiety she's been feeling all day. Her professor announced to the class the prior day that the results of the finals would be posted online sometime today. She checked her e-mail once when she woke, twice before she left for work, once during the middle of the day, and about twenty times since she's been home. She was surprised her refresh button wasn't broken by now.<p>

She wrapped her wet hair up in a towel and dried off the rest of her body with another towel before wrapping it securely around her body. She made way towards where her computer was located and turned the monitor on where the page she needed was already up. She once again hit the refresh button and saw that the test results were now posted. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before clicking on the link and opening it up. She scrolled down through the list of student IDs until she found her own. She moved her fingers and her eyes along the screen, and she couldn't stop the smile from illuminating her face.

Her cell phone started ringing which was laying right next to her computer. She saw "Tigger" on the display screen, and she instantly picked up. Before she even had the chance to say "hi", Brooke started talking.

"So, did they come yet?" Brooke asked skipping the pleasantries.

"I passed!" Haley exclaimed and listened as her best friend congratulated her. "And guess what, I looked through the rest of the student grades, and I received the highest score!" She added.

"Well, look at you, Miss Smarty Pants." Brooke said as the two girls laughed. "But it's not like that's a big shocker. I think the only person who was worried about you passing was you. The rest of us knew you'd do just fine."

"I just feel so relieved. I feel like this weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and my stress is gone. At least until the next exam that is." Haley said standing up and heading towards her closet. It was then that she realized she had absolutely no idea what she was going to wear. "Crap. I don't know what I'm going to wear tonight." She groaned in irritation.

"Then, I'm guessing you haven't looked on the counter in your kitchen." Brooke said.

"Umm, no. Why?" Haley asked confused.

"Go take a look." Brooke said suspiciously.

Haley kinked her eyebrow before heading towards the counter where she saw a big box. How the heck did I not notice that before? She questioned herself. She heard Brooke ordering her to open it up. She pulled out a black dress with a white and red line of fabric shooting down the middle of it. It had spaghetti thin straps and laid horizontally across the chest. "Brooke, this is amazing!" She exclaimed before noticing a red pair of heels as well.

"I know. I snuck into your apartment while you were at work." Brooke said smugly with a cocky smile.

"I can't accept this. What's it for?" Haley asked.

"You can and you will. It's a 'congratulations' present for passing your finals." Brooke answered.

"And what if I would have failed?" Haley challenged.

"Then it would have been a 'sorry you suck' present." Brooke teased causing Haley to laugh. "Like I said earlier, I knew there was no way you were going to fail."

Sometimes Brooke wanted to strangle her best friend. She wished Haley didn't lack so much confidence. Haley was so smart and beautiful and funny and amazing. She just didn't see it. Brooke didn't understand how she didn't see it. For one thing, she was just so naturally beautiful. There were so many guys in high school who made comments about her. And even when Brooke told her about them, Haley always argued that she was just being her best friend and trying to make her feel better. And then Haley would always add "I'm no Brooke Davis" before changing the subject which still to this day drives Brooke crazy. Brooke knew she was pretty, and that wasn't her being superficial or anything like that. She just knew it, accepted it, and embraced it. But Haley was just as pretty. She was gorgeous, and Brooke just wished she would see it.

And the girl was brilliant. Ever since grade school, Haley obsessed over her grades. She grew up with a really rough childhood, and she was determined to give herself a better life. She felt the only thing to make that happen was to work her butt off academically and earn as many scholarships necessary to give her a good quality education. And she got it. She received several scholarships their senior year of high school which ended up paying for a decent portion of her tuition for Stanford University.

The two of them have been friends since they were six years old. That's twenty years of friendship. They were in kindergarten when they first met. Haley didn't have a packed lunch with her, and Brooke offered to share hers. And they've been best friends ever since just from that simple gesture. The two girls were incredibly close and pretty much inseparable growing up. They were really more like sisters. Brooke couldn't imagine her life without Haley, and Haley felt the same way about Brooke.

Brooke knew how hard the past five years have been for Haley, and she wished she could snap her fingers and magically make it all better. Her heart broke for her best friend. But Haley was tough even if she didn't know it. She was a survivor, and Brooke was so incredibly proud of her. Brooke would literally do anything for her. She loved her so much.

"Thanks, Tigger." Haley said in gratitude.

"And it matches your ring. Not that you'd take that thing off anyway, but still...I made sure everything matched." Brooke said.

Once Brooke mentioned her ring, Haley instinctively fingered the circular object on the middle finger of her right hand. The ring had a small half-carot princess cut diamond with a smaller black gem on each side. She gazed down to it and smiled a bittersweet smile. The ring held so many memories for her-good ones as well as bad ones. But it truly was her most prized posession.

"Your mom would be proud of you, Hales." Brooke said softly instantly knowing what was running through her best friend's mind. "And she would be proud of you for finally chasing your own dreams."

"Thanks, Brooke." Haley said softly.

"Anyway, now that you have something to wear, what time do you think you're going to be getting here?" Brooke asked changing the subject.

"Well, I just have to get dressed and do my hair and makeup. And since I'm not like you and can get ready without taking five hours..." Haley began and laughed when she heard Brooke shout out as if she took offense to it. "I should be there around seven thirty."

"Fabulous!" Brooke exclaimed. "Well, I have to finish getting ready."

"That's a shock." Haley mumbled teasingly.

"Shut up." Brooke ordered. "Okay, well, I'm going to let you go so we can both finish getting ready. I will see you later, love!"

"Bye, love." Haley said as the two ended their phone call. She smiled one more time at the dress before taking it and the pair of shoes with her into the bathroom to finish dressing.

* * *

><p>Nathan walked into Tric intent on having an amazing night. He looked around the packed club and found all of his friends in their usual corner and instantly made his way over towards them. Lucas was the first to notice him and stood up to meet him halfway. "It's good to see you, little brother."<p>

"You, too." Nathan returned as the two gave each other a quick "man" hug. After they broke apart, Nathan began to walk over towards the rest of the group but felt Lucas' hand haulting his movements. "What's up?" He asked confused.

"I just wanted to ask you how things went." Lucas said cautiously.

Nathan knew instantly what Lucas was referring to. "Well, I'm here." He tried joking, but the look on his brother's face told him he wasn't letting him get away with that. "The same, Luke. I got there. Dad was gone at work or so he says to my mom while she had already downed half a bottle of wine which I'm sure she had actually finished before I even left. I went upstairs and stayed there until I left. I booked it out of there before she had the chance to say anything. And here I am." He explained.

"Sorry, man." Lucas said sincerely and watched as Nathan shrugged his shoulders in response. Even though he wouldn't admit it, Lucas knew Nathan was hurting. He was so full of resentment towards his parents and rightfully so, but Lucas feared for what it was doing to his brother. Lucas never grew up with Dan so he never experienced him the way Nathan did, but he sure as hell knew how manipulative and evil their father could be. He saw it with Nathan and even experienced it somewhat himself. When Nathan and Lucas entered high school, Dan softened slightly and was actually a real father to the both of them. That's when Lucas began to let Dan into his life, and they developed a close yet distant and cautious relationship with one another.

Dan pushed Nathan hard their senior year. Nathan's dream was the NBA, and that was also Dan's dream growing up. When Dan gave up and blew any chances for himself, he turned to Nathan to making it happen. Essentially, Dan was living his life through Nathan. When Nathan got a full ride to Duke University on a basketball scholarship, Dan was ecstatic and followed his son's college career closely as well as when Nathan signed on with the Charlotte Bobcats right after college. For two years both Dan and Nathan lived on the high of him being an NBA superstar. But just as quickly as their dreams began, it ended when Nathan blew out his knee. Not only did Nathan's basketball career disintegrate, but the relationship between Nathan and Dan did as well.

"You know you can always go stay with Keith and my mom. You know they don't mind at all. Or even me and Brooke. I mean, we're kind of cramped in a one bedroom apartment right now, but the couch is free." Lucas suggested.

"Thanks for the offer, but I've decided to stay in town until after the wedding." Nathan began and chuckled at the complete look of surprise on his brother's face. "I just need a little break. And I don't want to impose on Keith and Karen for that long. I know they don't care at all, but I do. And I cannot live with you and Brooke. That couch isn't exactly comfortable for longer than one night, and those walls are pretty thin." He said closing his eyes and cringing slightly causing Lucas to laugh.

"Well, it's up to you, brother, but the offer is always open." Lucas reaffirmed.

"Thanks, Luke." Nathan said as the two brothers shared a quiet look of understanding. "Well, enough of this. Let's go party!" He exclaimed as they made their way to the rest of the group which consisted of all of their close friends from high school. Skills and Bevin, Mouth and his girlfriend Millie, Jake and Peyton, and Rachel. They all greeted Nathan anxiously since it was so rare that they actually saw and talked to him.

Nathan looked around and couldn't help but notice there were a couple people missing. "Where are the inseparable twins at?" He asked Lucas who was standing next to him.

"I think they went to the bathroom." Lucas answered taking a sip out of his beer.

"I've never understood why women go to the bathroom in pairs." Nathan commented rolling his eyes. "So, I guess, my dream that Haley didn't show up tonight really was just a dream." He added.

"Nathan, you promised." Lucas warned.

"Don't worry, Luke. I'm not going to pick any fights with her. I'm actually hoping to avoid her for the rest of the night." Nathan reassured.

"Oh, Nathan, give it up."

A voice sounded causing the two guys to look to their right only to find Rachel standing next to them smirking up towards the raven haired brother. "Still denying your feelings for Haley, I see." She said smugly before looking off in the direction towards the bar and winking seductively at the bartender who was eyeing her.

Nathan followed her line of sight and smirked. "Still being a slut, I see." He retorted without skipping a beat.

"You're just jealous because you never had me." She countered teasingly.

"Yup, I'm definitely jealous of never contracting an STD." He returned in the same teasing manner.

"You sure do live in a glass house, don't you, Nathan. Taking a trip down memory lane, you weren't quite so innocent in high school either nor now from what I hear in the media." She said.

"Touche." He replied as the two held up their glasses and clinked them together.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat about our whoring ways, I think I'm going to go talk to Owen." She said before walking up to Nathan and leaning forward to give Nathan a friendly kiss on the cheek. "It is good to have you back." She smiled before making her way towards the bar as he watched her walk away and couldn't help but laugh.

"How is it that the two of you never hooked up even once?" Lucas asked laughing right alongside his brother.

"We're just friends. We understand one another considering we're pretty much the same. She's obviously very sexy and well, so am I..." Nathan began smugly as the blonde rolled his eyes. "But we've just never been attracted to one another. We work better as friends. And you know me, Luke, I don't hook up with any of our close friends."

"That's true." Lucas said before feeling a pair of petite arms wrap around him from the back. He turned around and smiled when he saw his fiance standing there before dipping down to kiss her.

Nathan scoffed at the disgusting display which was playing out in front of him. He was just about to make some snarky comment to them when someone else came up beside him. He groaned in irritation before quickly replacing it with a smirk as he looked her up and down not even hiding that he definitely appreciated the view.

"What?" She bit out. She watched the way he checked her out, and she wanted nothing more than to deck him in that very moment. _Yup, he hasn't changed one bit._ She thought to herself.

"You look hot." He complimented.

"And you're just as shallow as ever." She returned and turned to walk away. However, her anger increased tenfold when she felt his strong, muscular arms wrap around her from the back. She tried to fight her way out of his embrace, but his hold on her only tightened.

"I know you've missed me, Hales." He whispered in her ear. He knew he was completely testing her patience right now, and he loved every second of it. God, he missed riling her up.

"You have five seconds to get your nasty hands off of me." She warned menacingly.

"Oh really? And what happens in five seconds if I don't?" He challenged. Just as those words left his mouth, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his foot and instantly dropped his arms from his hold on her. "Damn it!" He cursed. He could not believe she had just stomped on his foot like that. And it's not like she had flat shoes on or anything. No, she had on these nice sized heels. He had to give her that one, though. She had definitely caught him off-gaurd. Haley-1. Nathan-0.

"Don't ever touch me again!" She warned before stalking off in a huff.

"Come on, Hales. We were just catching up." He laughed hollaring off towards the direction she took off in.

"Nathan, you promised." Lucas bit out.

"What? I didn't do anything but try greeting her. She's the one who flipped out." Nathan defended causing Lucas to roll his eyes in irritation.

"Why do I even try?" Lucas questioned rhetorically looking at Brooke who just shook her head and laughed at the whole situation. "Some things will never change." He mumbled.

* * *

><p>Nathan arrived at the bar with everyone's drink orders. He was thouroughly enjoying himself tonight. It was good to be back at home with his friends and relaxing. It was good to not have to be worrying about how his team is doing. He, of course, wondered how they were playing but his old agent, Clay Evans, sent him a text two hours prior reassuring him that the team played great and won which caused even more stress to gradually seap out of his body. Now, he could fully relax and have a good time.<p>

He spoke too quickly when someone appeared at his side. He looked up with a sense of dread and immediately stared into the cold, dead eyes of Dan Scott. "Is there something you want?" He asked emotionless.

"Just wanted to have a chat, son." Dan replied with a menacing tone.

"Good luck with that one. I have nothing to say to you." Nathan said.

"Well, you can listen, because I have plenty to say to you." Dan countered.

Haley, Peyton, and Millie were engaged in a conversation at their booth when Haley glanced towards the bar and noticed Nathan and Dan to be involved in what looked to be a pretty heated conversation. She didn't know why, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. She didn't care about Nathan, and she definitely didn't care about Dan Scott but for some reason, she wanted to know what was going on.

Her eyes focused on Nathan who seemed pretty close to losing it. His face was full of fury, and she could tell even from a distance that he was shaking slightly. In instinct, she began to slide her way out of the booth when Brooke plopped herself down next to her effectively trapping her in the booth with no other way out unless climbing under the booth. And there was no way in hell she was doing that. And all thoughts and worries about Nathan eased out of her mind as Brooke began to recant a recent incident with Bitchtoria.

Nathan felt so much anger within himself as he watched his father smirk victoriously down at him before walking away completely pleased with himself. He hated that man with a passion. And just like that, his night of fun and relaxation was shot to hell. "Owen, tequila!" He called out and watched as the bartender quickly poured him the drink which Nathan instantly threw back. "Just keep them coming." He ordered to which Owen readily obliged.

Two hours passed as the club and everyone was dwindling down. Lucas, Brooke, and Haley were gathering up their belongings ready to call it a night since they were the last ones left from the group to leave. "Have you guys seen Nathan?" Lucas asked trying to remember the last time he saw his brother.

"He probably went home with some bleached-blonde bimbo." Haley muttered as Brooke shoved her. She mouthed 'what' as her best friend gave her a warning glare. Haley just simply laughed it off.

"Or not." Lucas groaned staring off towards the distance. The two girls followed his line of sight and saw Nathan planted at the bar with his head down on the counter. The three of them quickly made their way over to him. "How much has he had to drink?" Lucas asked Owen.

"I lost count after his eighth tequila shot." Owen answered with an apologetic expression.

Lucas shook Nathan's arm to see if he was passed out. Thankfully, he wasn't.

"Hey, everyone. The gang's all here." He laughed drunkingly and almost fell off the bar stool but Lucas was quick to react and grabbed him. "Whoa, man. Why are there three of you?"

"Haley, could you take Brooke home while I get him?" Lucas asked and cringed at the look on his fiance's face. "I'm sorry, Brooke, but somebody has to take him." He argued when she opened her mouth to protest.

"I can do it." Haley offered surprising the both of them. "What? I may not like the guy at all, but he clearly can't drive. This is your guys' night, and you shouldn't have to deal with this. So let me take care of it." She added.

"Are you sure you can handle him?" Lucas questioned.

"He hasn't passed out yet. And if he does on the way then I'll just leave his ass to sleep it off in the car." She answered as the three of them laughed. She saw that Lucas was still hesitating, though. "Luke, he'll be fine. I promise I'll get him home safely and in one piece." She reassured.

"Okay. Well, let me at least help get him to your car." He said as she nodded.

The three of them made their way towards Haley's car before Lucas helped Nathan get situated in the front seat. He wasn't passed out or anything, but he was definitely out of it. He kept blubbering off nonsense. After Lucas and Brooke left, Haley contemplated leaving Nathan and his annoying self in her car and finding a different ride home, but she couldn't. She had to suck it up. "You so owe me." She said.

"I'll give you whatever you want." He said suggestively.

Haley shook her head. _Even completely wasted out of your mind, you're still just as vile and repulsive._ She thought. "Home sweet home." She said aloud while pulling out of the Tric parking lot.

**So there's chapter two. I hope you guys are all still enjoying this story. I want to thank everyone for all of the story alerts for this story. It truly means a lot to me. And a special thanks to AmethystLily89, dianehermans, Nathybozo, and ivy473 for being so amazing and reviewing. I love reading what you guys have to say, and I hope for me to come. :) And to anyone else who's reading this story, I hope you're still enjoying it so far and stick with it.**

**I hope to have chapter 3 up soon. And there's more Naley bickering to come!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, here's another chapter. I hope you enjoy it as well as continue enjoying this story. I want to thank everyone again for all of the story alerts I have been receiving for this story. And a special thanks to Nathybozo, hprandom554, Ellie, hebewe, rosepetal16 for your lovely reviews. I greatly appreciate them. :)**

**Enough talking...**

Nathan awoke with one of the worst headaches he had ever experienced. He quickly scanned his brain for any recolition of the prior night and remembered the bachelor/bachelorette party at Tric for Lucas and Brooke. He turned over in the bed onto his back while rubbing his eyes and letting out a groan. He opened his eyes and allowed them to adjust to the light. It was then that he noticed the bedspread which was definitely not his from home. He felt a sense of dread pulling in the pit of his stomach at the possibility that he actually went home with someone, and he prayed that wasn't the case.

He pushed himself into a sitting position and noticed there wasn't anyone else in the bed or in the room with him. He took a look around and frowned. "Where the hell am I?" He questioned aloud. This place was definitely not his type of environment. First of all, it was small. Extremely small. And second of all, it was completely rundown and outdated. He noticed that the girl obviously tried to make it a little more liveable with her decorum, but it still wasn't enough. He must have been insanely drunk to go home with whoever lived in this place.

Throwing the blankets off of him, he climbed out of the bed and made his way out of the room with that same sense of dread plagueing him. He came into what he presumed to be the living room, and that's when he saw her sprawled along the couch with a blanket draped across her body. "What the hell?" He exclaimed effectively waking her up.

Haley stirred awake when she heard a loud voice reverberating off of the walls. She took a second and rubbed her tired eyes.

"Do you mind telling me what the hell I'm doing here?" Nathan asked impatiently.

"How about you stop with the unnecessary yelling." Haley said as she stood up from the couch. She stretched her arms above her head causing her shirt to ride up as well.

Nathan's breathing hitched for a moment when he noticed what she was wearing. She had on a tiny pair of pink and black plaid pajama shorts which stopped right at her mid-thigh as well as a tiny black spaghetti strap tank top. Good God, she was stretching now which caused her top to ride up flashing him her toned stomach. Who knew little miss prude had quite the body? She has certainly filled out over the years. "What a waste." He mumbled with a scoff.

"What?" She asked confused.

"Huh?" He returned. _Did I really just say that out loud?_ He mentally questioned himself.

"You said 'what a waste'. What are you talking about?" She asked.

Nathan recovered as a smirk formed on his face. "You." He simply said as she raised her eyebrow. "I was just commenting that you actually have a nice body. It's such a shame it's wasted on you."

"Well, I'm so glad that you approve." She said sarcastically. "Lucky for you, you can look. You just can't touch." She added with a smirk of her own.

Nathan couldn't stop the smile which stretched across his face. "So, I can look, huh?" He asked as he took a couple steps closer to her causing her to take a couple steps back. "Maybe you should let me preview the whole package. I think it's only fair since I don't have touching privileges." By now, he had her backed completely up against the wall with their chests practically touching.

"Get away from me." She bit out while pushing hard against his chest as he stumbled backward. "Unlike those mindless sluts you bring home with you, I actually have a brain and am smart enough to never let a playboy like you anywhere near me. You may have other girls fooled, but not me. Stay the hell away from me." She warned.

"Me or any guy?" He challenged as she looked at him confused yet again. "You're probably going to die a virgin considering you are too much of a prude to let any guy ever touch you." He continued smugly.

"You think you have me all figured out, don't you?" She began as he nodded his head in amusement. "You know what, you can think whatever you want, because I could careless what your opinion is of me." She finished not letting his words affect her one bit.

Nathan laughed her comments off before realizing his situation once again. "Seriously. What the hell am I doing here?" He asked.

"You got pretty wasted last night so I took you home with me." She answered.

"Wanted to have your way with me, huh." He couldn't help but throw out smugly.

Haley rolled her eyes. "No, jackass. I took you home first, but the idiot that you are didn't have your damn keys and since nobody answered when I knocked, I had the unfortunate pleasure of taking you home with me." She explained. She watched as he simply nodded his head. "You're welcome, by the way." She spit out.

"I think you should be thanking me. It's not every day that a girl like you gets to take a guy like me home." He countered.

"Can you go two full minutes without making some crude, sexual innuendo?" She questioned in disgust.

"Where's the fun in that?" He said.

Haley rolled her eyes before brushing passed him and into the kitchen where she immediately started making a pot of coffee. He turned on his heel and was quick to follow her into the room. "Nice place you've got here." He commented and immediately started laughing. "I'm sorry. I couldn't finish that with a straight face." He added.

Haley glared at him feeling all of her anger bubbling inside of her. "You know what, Nathan, you can just go to hell. I'm sorry that I don't own an NBA team or have parents who are loaded or a big fat trust fund to live off of. Some of us actually live in the real world where money doesn't grow on trees. And yes, this place isn't much and it's not exactly the place where I would choose to live, but it's what I can afford. And it's mine. I pay for it with the money I earn, and I will not let you diminish that or belittle me." She spit out before turning to rummage through the refrigerator for something.

She was so riled up right now. All her life, she's grown up stressing about money. She got her first job babysitting when she turned eight years. She had to, because someone needed to help her mom out with their bills after her dad left them. Then when she turned fifteen, Karen hired her at the cafe. If she wasn't at school or at home studying, she was usually working. Karen actually had to force her to leave the cafe sometimes to actually go out and have the life of a normal teenager in high school. She also knew that Brooke and Karen conspired together on those days and nights.

And the apartment where she is living now wasn't what she expected to have. She thought she'd be finished with college and working in a hospital as a nurse. She thought she would be living in a higher class apartment. A place where her water pipes didn't bust at least once a month and leave her without hot running water for days on end. A place where she didn't need twenty layers of clothing on to keep her warm during the winters or be stripped down to basically her bra and underwear in the summers to keep her from dying of heat. A place where there weren't holes and knicks in the walls and even in the floor. A place that was warm and inviting. No. This wasn't where she epected to be now. But it is what it is, and she's grateful for what she does have even if it isn't much.

Nathan watched Haley move about in the kitchen finding something to keep her busy. He actually thought this might be the time he saw her snap, but she held it in. But he could also tell she was fighting it. Any decent human being would have felt bad for what he had said, but he honestly didn't. The two of them have never really gotten along which is obvious to anyone who stands next to them for even a minute. And the truth was that they didn't really know one another on a personal level outside of their social realm. Haley didn't know that Nathan had his own struggles within his family and home life that had nothing to do with money. She knew him to be a dumb egotistical, manwhore who only cared about himself and basketball. And Nathan didn't know Haley's financial struggles or anything related to her family and home life. He saw her as this perfect prude who didn't care about anything but her grades and who never partied or knew how to have any fun in her life. And while others didn't see it because it seemed as if she saved it specifically for him, she could be a real big bitch.

They were just two people with completely different personalities and with absolutely nothing in common. At least that's what they thought, but some of their friends and family saw differently. Lucas and Brooke in specific saw what Nathan and Haley could offer and do for each other. They were so lost and held the world and love at an arm's length. Who more perfect for one another than two people who feel the same and could truly help one another overcome it. Lucas and Brooke wished Nathan and Haley could stop their petty bickering for long enough to really see each other and if nothing else, develop a true, deep friendship.

* * *

><p>Nathan made his way down the stairs feeling clean and refreshed from his shower. He headed into the kitchen to grab himself a bottle water and stopped when he noticed his mom sitting at the island drinking some coffee and reading the newspaper. He hesitated for just a moment before walking towards the refrigerator without muttering a single word.<p>

"Hey, honey." Deb greeted. She sighed when all Nathan did was nod slightly. She wasn't ready to give up quite yet, though. "Where did you stay last night? I noticed that you didn't come home." She inquired.

"Haley's." He answered simply.

"Haley? As in Haley James?" She asked.

"Do you know any other Haley's in town?" He quipped as his mother visibly flinched.

"I guess not." She recovered. "I just thought you two didn't get along. You're always arguing with one another."

"Some things change." He stated. He almost choked on his own words. Him getting along with Haley was laughable. He just didn't want to give his mom the satisfaction. He knew how pathetic and twisted that sounded, but he also didn't care.

"That's good. She's such a sweet girl. And she's very pretty." She began as Nathan looked at her confused. "I didn't realize you two were, umm...well, Haley's never mentioned that you guys, umm..." She stammered.

"God, it's nothing like that!" He bit out in irritation knowing where she was getting at. "All I did was sleep there. I was way too drunk to drive home so she tried taking me, but nobody was home and the door was locked. So we went back to her place." He explained.

"Oh, okay." She said somewhat embarrassed.

"Where were you last night?" He asked.

"I was here all night. I must not have heard the doorbell." She answered.

"Yeah, it's hard to hear anything when you're passed out drunk." He stated coldly showing no remorse.

Deb felt like the wind was knocked out of her as she registered her son's words. She looked at him full of hurt but saw nothing from him. "Nathan, maybe we should sit down and talk about this." She suggested timidly.

"No, I can't deal with this." He declared while grabbing his water and rushing out of the kitchen as well as the house. Luckily, his Ipod was in the car. He quickly grabbed it and took off running. He didn't think running was the smartest move considering he still wasn't feeling that great from the previous night, but he just needed some time to think.

How did he get stuck with two screwed up parents? Growing up, he never really thought anything of it. He assumed it was normal to have a father who constantly critiqued you and belittled you. He never really experienced how a father is supposed to be. That was until he got closer to Lucas which in turn made him closer to Keith. He saw how Keith was with Lucas and with Karen, and he realized how screwed up his father was.

It's not like he and Dan had a horrible relationship growing up. It was just tense and definitely far from the normal loving father/son relationship. Even though it was his hardwork and passion that got him to the NBA and where he is now, he still had to give some credit to his father. Without Dan's constant pushing, Nathan wasn't sure he would have had as many opportunities to showcase his love for the game as much. So, he will always be grateful to Dan for that even with all of the negative aspects that came with it. However, Nathan quickly realized just how dependant on basketball their relationship was after his injury.

And in terms of his mother, he also thought it was normal to have a mom who was gone for months on end. It was her job so he never thought anything of it. It again wasn't until he got closer to Lucas when he realized how a mother was truly supposed to be because of Karen. He saw what a caring, loving mother she was. And during the times when his mom was away on "business", he developed a close relationship with Karen who became sort of like a surrogate mother to him. He was surprised at how effortless she made it seem. She always invited him to her house for dinner or to come to the cafe to eat on the house. And she listened to him. There have been several occassions when she and him just talked and carried on important and sometimes meaningless yet intriguing conversations.

When he was in high school, he noticed how much his mom drank which definitely wasn't normal. The times when she was home from her trips, it seemed as if she was always holding a wine glass in her hand. Before he didn't really care to much to even notice, but he finally began to notice the cracks in his seemingly perfect family. And it was then that he began to grow more and more bitter and resentful towards both of his parents.

* * *

><p>Haley sighed as she placed the file she was holding in her hand in the cabinet before closing it and locking it up. She dropped down into the chair and rubbed her eyes tiredly. After dropping Nathan off at Tric where his car was, she had to run back home to take a quick shower before rushing to the hospital to start her shift. She glanced up at the clock and noticed that it was forty after eight. She let out a groan realizing she still had an hour and twenty minutes left on her shift. Why she offered to cover someone's elses' shift on top of her own was beyond her comprehension at this very moment. She was so exhausted. She had to keep herself busy for she knew if she even leaned on the counter for a second, she would probably pass out. She seriously couldn't wait until she could go home and get into bed. She should have made Nathan sleep on that thing supposedly known as a couch which felt more like a table. Her body, specifically her back, was so stiff, and she kept feeling and hearing it crack all day long. She had literally been cursing Nathan out in her head throughout the day.<p>

She heard someone shuffling up to the desk and had to force herself to look up. "Oh, God, speak of the devil. Could my day get any worse?" She asked rhetorically while letting out a groan.

"Twice in one day. Most girls would dream of being so lucky." He said smugly.

Haley rolled her eyes choosing not to respond to his cockiness. "What are you doing here, Nathan? Do you actually have a concrete reason or is this soley because you just love to torture me?" She asked.

"I do love to torture you." He stated with a smirk that she wanted to smack right off but contained herself. "But get over yourself. I actually need to see a doctor."

"Okay. What's wrong with you...besides the obvious?" She questioned as he glared at her.

"I think I may have broken my hand." He answered while holding his right hand up.

"Oh my gosh!" Haley said in a high pitched voice as she looked at his hand. It was all swollen and had a small shade of blue and purple on a patch of it. "Are you okay?" She asked and without thinking, she encased her hands around his causing him to let out a tiny yelp. "I'm so sorry."

"God, Haley! That freaking hurts." He whined pulling his hand away from her and held it close to his chest. Pain shot through his hand as he grimaced.

"What happened?" She asked as she pulled out the insurance forms and all of the other paperwork he was going to have to fill out.

"Nothing." He dismissed.

"Really? Come on, Nathan, what happened?" She prodded.

"It's none of your damn business, Haley!" He exclaimed harshly which drew the attention of some others sitting in the waiting room.

"Fine." She huffed while slamming the clipboard with the forms onto the desk. "You need to fill these out, and a doctor will be with you shortly." She quipped before focusing her attention to the computer screen in front of her without even a glance back in his direction.

Nathan picked up the clipboard before walking over to a nearby chair and taking a seat in it. He winced as he rested his hand gently against his thigh. He pulled the pen from the clip of the board with his left hand and that's when he realized he had absolutely no idea how he was going to fill out this paperwork. He was right-handed, and there was no way in hell he could write with it. He steadied the pen in between his fingers on his left hand before he tried to write his name. After several failed attempts, he felt his frustration intensifying.

Nathan let out a dramatic sigh as he looked around. To his left, he noticed a woman with who he presumed to be her son. He kept fidgeting and kicking his chair as his mother continued to scold him. His eyes moved to a couple on the opposite side of him who were way to wrapped up in each other to notice anyone else in the room. His eyes drifted to his right where he saw a girl who kept coughing and sneezing. He looked back up to the reception desk and saw that Haley was the only person over there. He groaned before pushing himself out of his chair careful not to touch his right hand to anything and made his way towards the desk.

Haley felt a looming presence in front of her, and she instantly knew who it was. "Do you need something?" She questioned without looking up from the computer.

"I need your help." He mumbled quietly.

Haley finally looked up at him. She didn't say anything but gave him a look urging him to continue.

"I, umm...I'm right-handed, and I'm having trouble filling out this paperwork." He explained while sitting the clipboard down on top of the desk.

Haley glanced at the forms and then back up to him. "I'm sorry, Nathan, but some of this information is personal, and quite frankly, it's none of my business." She sneered mimicking his previous words to her before fucusing her attention to the computer once again.

Nathan sighed in frustration. She could be so damn irritating. He knew the game she was playing, but two could play this game. He lifted his right hand and winced. The pain was pretty much excruciating by now. Yup, game over. He swallowed his pride while closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry for snapping earlier. I just haven't had the greatest day, and I could really use you help right now." He said as she looked up at him blankly. "Please." He pleaded shamefully and wanted to strangle her when a smirk formed on her face.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" She asked smugly while picking up the clipboard.

Nathan rolled his eyes. He knew the satisfaction she was getting out of this whole situation. He may not be able to do anything now, but he would definitely be getting his own back.

"Uh oh, is Nathan Scott plotting in that barely there brain of his? Should I watch my back?" She taunted while laughing, and she could tell he wasn't the least bit amused. "I need your insurance card." She stated.

Over the course of the next five minutes, Nathan and Haley went through the questions with one another. Nathan watched silently as Haley busied herself away typing on the computer. She had her glasses on with her eyes glued to the screen while biting on her lower lip. She was in full concentration mode, and he couldn't help but find himself entranced by her. She stood up from her chair and went over to the file cabinet as he continued to watch her. She had on a fushia pink pair of scrubs with her hair pulled up in a messy bun. This was the first time he had ever seen her wearing scrubs, and he had to admit that she could definitely pull off the whole nurse look.

And that's when she bent down, and he got the perfect visual of her backside. She really did have a serious ass. He silently reprimended himself but then realized there was nothing wrong with appreciating her body or her looks. She was still a grade a bitch, but she was hot. He could give her that.

"Would you quit staring at my ass?" Haley snapped after she turned around and caught him openly checking her out. She huffed while walking back to her chair and once again taking a seat.

"You like it." He smirked as she rolled her eyes. "When is a doctor going to be able to check out my hand? It's really hurting." He asked after a couple of silent minutes.

"I don't know. Sorry." She said and was actually sincere about it. "So, at the risk of getting my head bit off again...what happened?" She asked.

"Let's just say that my father and I had a disagreement." He answered and watched as she raised an eyebrow. "You should see him." He tried joking.

"Did it have anything to do with what you guys were talking about last night at Tric?" She asked timidly.

"Wha...how do you know anything about that?" He questioned.

"I saw you guys arguing. It looked kind of intense." She said.

"It was nothing." He dismissed.

"Didn't look like nothing." She countered.

"Well, it was. It wasn't a big deal, and it's none..."

"None of my business." She finished for him. "I've heard that one before. Sorry for trying to care."

Nathan actually felt slightly guilty for the way he snapped at her before and opened his mouth to respond only to have a doctor come out and call his name. He glanced over to Haley one last time as she was still busy typing away on the computer before following the doctor back to the exam room.

It was an hour and a half later, when Nathan walked out of the exam room with his hand covered in a tight white bandage. As he was passing the reception desk, he looked for Haley but she was gone. He did find her outside, though, walking towards the parking lot. "Hey!" He hollered and caught up with her.

"Ooh, so you broke it?" She questioned noticing the bandage on his hand.

"Yup." He confirmed.

"Sorry." She said sympathetically.

"It's all good. The doc gave me some nice pain pills. And believe me, they're nice." He said.

"You didn't drive here, did you?" She asked.

"That's kind of why I was looking for you. I asked the other girl at the desk if you were still working, and she told me you were leaving. I was kind of wondering if you could take me home." He responded.

"Are you joking?" She asked tiredly.

"No, I'm not. Look..." He began while dangling some keys in his left hand. "I have my keys this time."

Haley let out a long, drawn out sight before relenting. "Fine."

"Thanks, Hales." He said as the two of them weaved their way through the parking lot and then sliding into her car. "You know, though, I could always pretend that I don't have my keys if you'd like. I'm sure you'd love the opportunity to get me back into your bed." He smirked not being able to resist.

"And there's the real Nathan Scott. Listen here, anymore of your asinine comments, and I swear I will stop this car and kick your ass out. You understand me?" She said not amused whatsoever.

"I understand." He placated her.

And just like that the two of them were back to their normal bickering as they drove towards Nathan's house.

**There's chapter three. The next chapter is going to be Brucas' wedding, and we're going to get a little more insight into Haley's life as well. So, please review and let me know what you think. And hopefully, I'll have another chapter up soon. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, everyone. I'm sorry this is a bit later than I wanted and I'm sure you wanted. Pregnancy symptons have been kicking my butt all week. But I'm feeling better, and I've been able to actually sit down and write. I think I'm going to have a pretty low-key weekend ahead of me so I should be able to get a good start on the next chapter. This chapter includes Brucas' wedding, but I didn't include the reception. I was going to, but when I started writing, I realized I was able to get the key elements in without it. I might write the next chapter as a continuation of the wedding and have the reception, but I'm not completely sure yet. I'm still piecing it together so we'll see.**

**Again thanks for all of the amazing story alerts I'm receiving for this story. It means a lot! And like usual, a special thanks goes out to Love NH, J. Caroline, Steffsche, Othfan48, hprandom554, Nathybozo, Amy, hebewe, othfano, and Ellie for you amazing reviews. They truly put a smile on my face. I love reading that people are enjoying this story or voicing their concerns or whatever. And Nathybozo, yes I kind of took the inspiration for Haley's profession from my own since I am a pediatric nurse which is just a nurse who works with children. And I don't know how long this story is going to be, and I don't know the time frame it will probably get done. I'm kind of writing and planning as I go. It's definitely going to be longer than my previous story, but how much, I'm not sure. If I do get an idea, I will inform everyone.**

**Real quickly before you start reading...how is everyone liking season 9 so far? I have to say that I'm really enjoying it. And I'm loving Naley's storyline right now. I miss Nathan, but at least Bethany is killing it this season to somewhat make up for my Naley loss. :( And I'm really loving all of the other storylines except the Brooke/Xavier one right now. Was it really necessary to bring that creep back? It adds nothing to the show or Brooke for me. I'm just ready for it to be done. But other than that, this season is great I think. :)**

**Well, enough talking...**

_May 15, 2009_

Haley walked into the back room of the church and saw Brooke standing in front of the mirror. She looked like a vision in her beautiful white, custom-made wedding gown which fit her perfectly showing off her amazing figure. "Wow." She gushed in amazement causing her best friend to turn around. "You look...you look so beautiful." She complimented as the tears came springing to her eyes.

"No, don't you do that, Haley. If you start, then I'm going to. And I just did my makeup." Brooke warned pointing a finger at her.

Haley stared at her and just smiled. She instantly flashed back to when they were little. Like most young girls, they always used to play dress up and make believe. They used to fantasize about the day when it would no longer be a fantasy but a reality. And today was that day for Brooke. Haley still couldn't believe it, but she couldn't be any happier. She and Brooke were so connected that it was almost as if this was Haley's day as well.

"So, without making either of us cry...how do I look?" Brooke asked.

"Hmm...I think something is missing." Haley stated slyly.

"What would that be?" Brooke questioned completely confused.

"Your something borrowed, of course." Haley answered while walking closer until she was standing directly in front of her best friend.

Brooke watched still confused as Haley slid the ring off of her finger and held it out to her. Her eyes widened slightly. "What are you doing, Hales?"

"Well, we've got your something new, your something old, and your something blue. But we don't have your something borrowed. So, here." Haley answered pushing the ring closer to her.

"I can't wear that. It's...you never take it off. It means so much to you. It was your mother's, and she wouldn't want someone else wearing it." Brooke protested.

"My mother would want you to wear it today, and you know it." Haley affirmed. "And I want you to wear it. You're right, it does mean a lot to me, but so do you. You are the most important person to me. It's your wedding day, and I can't think of a way to be closer to you. So please, wear it today."

Brooke smiled boisterously at her while taking the ring and sliding it onto the middle finger of her right hand. She looked back up and met Haley's gaze. "Thank you, Hales. I'll guard it with my life." She promised. "And for the record, I don't need the ring to be closer to you. You will be the most important person to me in that church."

"Even Lucas?" Haley questioned jokingly.

"Well, duh!" Brooke replied as the two girls laughed. "Just don't tell him I said that." She added as their laughter continued. The dimpled beauty threw her arms around the blonde as the two friends embraced tightly.

"You do look beautiful." Haley stated.

"Thank you. So do you. I really do love you, Haley." Brooke said.

"I love you, too." Haley repeated.

The tears were now flowing freely as they stayed locked in their embrace and didn't back away until they heard the door opening. They turned towards the door and instantly regretted it.

"Good, God. You couldn't have saved the tears until after the pictures were taken." Victoria scolded irritatingly as she walked further into the room. She stopped and took a second to give her daughter a thorough look. "Look at you. You're such a mess."

"You're back." Brooke stated with fake enthusiasm.

"Hi, Ms. Davis." Haley greeted politely.

"Hello, Haley. It's seems we need to fix your makeup as well. You look as dreadful as my daughter." Victoria scoffed while heading towards the table where all of their makeup was laying.

"Always a pleasure." Haley deadpanned as she and Brooke couldn't hold back their laughter.

"Well, get over here, girls! We don't have all day!" Victoria ordered impatiently causing the two girls to scurry over to her. "Some things never change, I see." She muttered with a roll of her eyes.

Lucas, Nathan, Jake, Mouth, and Skills were all in a room in the basement of the chuch putting the finishing touches on their tuxes and their overall appearances. Lucas was standing off to the side looking over one of the programs with a smile on his face.

"You're so gone, man." Nathan laughed coming to stand next to his brother.

"And proud of it." Lucas countered. "How's the hand?" He asked gesturing towards his brother's wrapped up hand.

"It's getting better." Nathan answered. "So, are you ready? It's about time."

"I am more than ready. I can't believe the day is finally here." Lucas replied.

"You know, I caught a glimpse of Brooke awhile ago. She looks beautiful. You're a lucky guy, Luke." Nathan stated.

"Thanks, Nate. And thanks for being my best man. And thanks for coming home for the party last weekend as well as staying this whole week. It's been nice catching up with you." Lucas said.

"Anything for my big brother." Nathan said.

"When are you leaving?" Lucas asked.

"Tomorrow. I have a flight booked early. It's been great being home with you, but I'm definitely ready to get back home now. I need to get away from Dan and my mom." Nathan responded.

"About that. Look, you know that I am completely on your side. And with regards to this latest fight between you and Dan..." Lucas began casting his eyes down towards Nathan's bandaged up hand. "You know that I definitely support you. But both Dan and Deb are here today. And I just don't want any drama today. I've talked to Keith who talked to Dan. And no, I'm not sure how that conversation went. But the point is, can you just try to avoid him? And I know you do and have been and it's been him who's been pushing, but I think it's best if you just stay as far away from him as you can." He finished.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Luke. I want nothing to do with Dan, and it will be my pleasure to avoid him. I have been successfully dodging him since our latest incident, and I don't intend to stop that now. So, you have my word that there will be no drama from my end." Nathan assured.

"Thanks." Lucas said. "To think the only drama I was worried about this week was between you and Haley." He added after a few seconds as both guys started laughing.

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door while it was in the process of opening. The minister ducked his head in and said it was about time for the ceremony to start. The five guys followed the minister out of the room and headed upstairs as they lined at the front of the alter. It was only seconds later that Pachelbel's Canon N D began to sound through the speakers as the girls decended their walk down the aisle starting with Rachel, followed by Bevin and Peyton, then Haley.

All four of the girls were absolutely beautiful in their emerald green dresses form-fitted dresses which cascaded down towards the ground. Nathan couldn't help but find himself caught up in Haley, though. She looked stunning, and she was truly glowing. He could tell from her slightly red eyes that she had been crying, but she still looked beautiful despite that. Her medium length blonde hair was swept up in a curly updo with a diamond gemstone clipping it all together. Her makeup was enhanced yet still maintained the natural look with just a light eye color, blush, some mascara, and a light pink tinted lipstick. She truly was gorgeous.

Nathan failed to realize he was still staring at her until the traditional bridal march had begun. Closing his eyes and ridding himself of his previous thoughts, he turned his attention back towards the front of the church and watched as Brooke made her way down the aisle. He glanced over towards his brother who was sporting the biggest smile he had ever seen.

Before long, Brooke had made it to the alter. She had handed her flowers over to Haley and was now facing Lucas with their hands joined together as the minister began the ceremony.

No matter how hard she tried, Haley couldn't hold in her tears. She cried so many happy tears as she watched and listened to Lucas and Brooke reciting their vows and pledging their love to one another. She observed the looks on their faces, and they were both positively glowing. She couldn't help but flashback to the night when Brooke told her Lucas had proposed.

_Haley had just finished helping her mother to bed. They had returned from a doctor's appointment an hour ago. Her mother was getting weaker and weaker as the days went on. She could no longer eat and bathe by herself so Haley was the one who was taking care of her. Not that Haley minded. This was her mother afterall and her first priority. But she would be lying if she said that her mother's illness wasn't starting to take it's toll on her. She was exhausted. She couldn't remember the last time she had actually gotten a decent amount of sleep. If she wasn't taking care of her mother, she was working trying to pay the housing bills as well as her mother's medical bills. And with whatever little time she had left after all of that, she was trying to squeeze in some college courses to at least earn her credits for her general courses which were required._

_She walked down the stairs and made her way into the kitchen and immediately set to work on making herself a cup of hot cocoa. She was too restless for coffee and neither pop nor tea sounded good at the moment. Water sounded too bland, and she really had nothing else in the refrigerator except milk. So she opted for some good old fashioned hot chocolate. She grabbed a couple of her text books and made herself comfortable on the couch._

_A few minutes had passed when the front door leading into the living room opened and Brooke came bouncing in. "Hey, __Tutorgirl."_

_"Hey, Tigger." Haley smiled warmly._

_"Oh, nothing much." Brooke said as casually as she could while taking a seat on the cushion next to Haley._

_Haley observed her best friend closely. Brooke was a naturally bubbly person with a vibrant personality, but there was something different about her. She was glowing. "What's going on?" She asked._

_"I'm engaged!" Brooke exclaimed as she held out her left hand showing off the sparkling two-carot diamond ring which was on her finger. Her smiled was so wide and boisterously causing her gorgeous dimples to look as if they stretched for miles._

_"Oh my gosh! Congratulations!" Haley returned in the same manner throwing her arms around the other girl in a tight embrace. "This is so amazing!"_

_"I know!" Brooke said. "I can't believe I'm getting married."_

_"It's about time Lucas proposed. I mean, you guys have only been dating for six years now." Haley stated as they broke out of their embrace._

_"Yeah, he's lucky. I was giving him until the end of this year and then he was going to get his ass kicked." Brooke joked._

_Haley grabbed onto Brooke's left hand and pulled it closer so she could get a better look at the ring. "Wow, that is one beautiful ring. Lucas did really good."_

_"He did have a little help considering we went to a jewelry store once and looked at rings. I happily pointed out the types of styles I liked. But there were a few different styles, and he picked this one out himself. And I love it." Brooke said._

_"So, when's the wedding? Have you set a date yet?" Haley asked._

_"Well, we haven't set an actual date yet. But we know it's going to be in a couple years. We both want to finish school first and get settled a little before getting thrust into everything all at once. I have it all figured out. We graduate this spring, __and then we're going to come back here and move into an apartment together. We've already started looking at all of the listings. And then as soon as all of that stress is taken care of, we can start planning a wedding. I'm thinking a spring wedding which will be perfect cause that gives us about a year to work with in terms of planning." Brooke answered._

_"I think that sounds like a great plan. I still can't believe you're getting married!" Haley exclaimed as the two girls embraced once again. "I love you, Brooke Davis."_

_"I love you, too, Haley James." Brooke returned._

Haley snapped out of her flashback just as the minister said those final words. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The whole church practically erupted in cheers as Lucas and Brooke met in a sizzling kiss which sealed their final step in marriage. Haley smiled as more tears strolled down her cheeks while clapping with the rest of the guests. Lucas and Brooke walked down the aisle out of the church. Nathan stepped in front of Haley and offered her his arm which she graciously accepted and led her in Lucas and Brookes' footsteps. "I bet you're imagining what it'd be like, aren't you?" He asked.

"What what would be like?" She asked confused.

"If you could ever find a guy to walk you down the aisle as a bride." He said smugly. He couldn't help it. That snide comment was just sitting at the tip of his tongue itching to be let out. And in the end, he could not hold it in.

"You're such an asshole." She hissed under her breath. _The nerve of him._ She thought. Was it seriously his life mission or something to make her life hell? Did he have a deal with the devil or something?

Nathan let out a chuckle through his smirk as he continued walking her down the aisle and out of the church. Just as they reached the entrance, he felt her nails digging into his arm. "Ow! Damn it, Haley!" He exclaimed while retching his arm away from her and instantly rubbing it.

"Learn to keep your damn comments to yourself!" She threatened before heading off in Brooke's direction as the two friends embraced and instantly began to gush about the ceremony.

It was about twenty minutes later when all of the guests had left and headed towards the reception hall intent to party the night away. The bridal party and some family members were still at the church, though, as pictures were being taken. The photographer was working on some of the groom shots with all of the other guys while Haley and Brooke were off to the side fixing their makeup. Haley was currently working on Brooke's eye makeup while the dimpled brunette continued to gush about the ceremony. "It really was perfect, right?" She asked.

"It was perfect." Haley confirmed sincerely.

"I am just so ready to get these pictures taken and get to the reception. I am so hungry right now. I haven't eaten anything all day." Brooke complained.

"Me either. I wonder how long the pictures will take." Haley inquired.

"Not too long, I hope. As long as everyone looks good then it shouldn't be an issue. And luckily, all of my bridesmaids look beautiful especially my dorky maid-of-honor..." Brooke began as the two girls shared a sweet smile. "And I have got to say that Lucas isn't the only one looking hot in his tux. All of the other guys aren't too shabby either. Of course, not as hot as Lucas. Gosh, I can't wait until we get back to our hotel room. Just looking at him is making me hot all over. And add to the fact that he is now legally bound to me...gosh, I don't know if I can wait until..."

"Okay, Brooke." Haley quickly intervened. "Please spare me anymore details. I love you, but your sexual vivacious side is not something I really want to hear about."

"Sorry." Brooke apologized. "Anyway, as I was saying before the turn on..."

Haley shook her head and chuckled at her best friend. There weren't enough words in the world to explain how much she loved her.

"The girls are looking beautiful and the guys are looking hot. There weren't any wardrobe mishaps or anything of that sort so we are ready to get this show on the road." Brooke finished.

"Well, that's not entirely true." Haley spoke up as Brooke quirked up an eyebrow indicating her confusion. "We do have Nathan and his big white bandage to compensate for. I still can't believe the idiot broke his hand." She said as she started laughing.

"At least it's something easy we can hide. And if not, it's not a big deal." Brooke brushed off.

Haley looked at her sharply, inquisitively. "What's your deal?" She asked.

"I don't have a deal." Brooke responded.

"Miss 'if anyone messes up a single small detail for my wedding, you are going to feel a world of pain!'. I thought for sure you'd be down Nathan's throat for his hand and then freaking out about how it's going to look for the pictures. So, what gives?" Haley prodded.

"It's not a big deal, because I'm not mad at Nathan for hitting Dan. The guy had it coming, and I'll be happy to look at Nathan's hand in pictures in the future. I'll be cheering him on." Brooke explained vaguely.

"I definitely don't care for Dan, but really? You think Nathan had a right to hit his own father. What did Dan do? Say something negative about his basketball team or something." Haley joked laughing. She just didn't sympathize with Nathan. Why should she? He's gone out of his way to make it known how much he hates her so why should she give a damn about him? Her brief moment of insanity when she actually felt for him at the hospital had now passed.

"Haley..." Brooke began with a sigh. "Look, Nathan and Lucas would kill me if I ever told you this, but when has that ever stopped me? So please, don't tell them I told you. I'm going to say it once, and then you are not to mention it to anyone, okay?"

"Oookay." Haley agreed curiously.

"Dan made some pretty low comments about me to Nathan. He basically went on and on about how much of a slut I am, and how I'm never going to make anything of myself. And that I'm just using Lucas for the trust fund that Dan had set up for him when he was younger, and I'm nothing but a gold digger. And he went on to say that Lucas and I will never last, and if we did, he hoped that we were nothing but miserable together." Brooke said.

"Wow. What a jerk? I guess, I can see why Nathan hit him." Haley responded.

"Well, that's not all." Brooke started up once again and captured the attention of her best friend. "Nathan was already pretty heated when Dan was talking about me and Lucas, but he kept his cool until..."

"Until what?" Haley asked once Brooke hesitated.

"Until Dan brought you into it." She revealed cautiously.

"Me? Why would I get brought into it? Dan hardly even knows me." Haley questioned confused.

"I guess, your mom thought you and Nathan were dating or something and mentioned it to Dan. And Dan apparently laid into Nathan about how you're not worth anything, and you're nothing but lower class. He said some other stuff, too, which Lucas didn't disclose out of fear that I would be the next one to hit Dan." Brooke said with a laugh. "But that's when Nathan hit him." She added becoming serious once again.

Haley stood there trying to process what Brooke was saying. She didn't know if she believed her or not. She knew it had to be true. Brooke would never lie to her or make something up like that. And she knew Lucas wouldn't either. But she still had a hard time believing it. This was Nathan. The guy who thrived on making her life hell. The guy who goes out of his way to make his own snide comments about her personal life. Was she seriously supposed to believe that he actually defended her?

Brooke observed her best friend tentatively. She knew what was going on in that mind of hers. She hardly believed it herself when Lucas informed her, but she knew Lucas wasn't lying. He wouldn't have lied to her about something like that. She knew deep down Nathan was a good guy. He just has his gaurd up and is afraid to let people see his vulnerable side. Kind of like someone else she knew. "Hales, I'm not lying to you. Look, Nathan's not the complete bad guy that you make him out to be sometimes. And I know he doesn't really deserve anything from you, because I admit that he's a complete ass...but it's just a defense mechanism. The real Nathan Scott is a good guy. I'm not asking you to forget everything's he's ever said and done to you, but maybe you can just try to keep that in the back of your mind." She said softly.

Haley didn't know how to respond or what to say. She was still in a small state of shock. She did manage to shake her head before turning towards where the guys were standing. She silently observed Nathan. He was standing with Lucas, Jake, Skills, and Mouth as they were all conversing and laughing about something. She noticed how calm and reserved he seemed to be. From a distance, he seemed the complete opposite of who he's always shown her. Maybe he is a good guy underneath it all. She thought. But she quickly shook those thoughts away. She wasn't sold on that notion at all. There's too much bad blood between them to let her gaurd down with him. But as an understanding with Brooke, she did promise to keep her best friend's words tucked away in the back of her mind.

**I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am so so so sorry for the wait. I truly am. I never had any intention of taking this long to get an update up. I won't bore you guys with any excuses but just tell you I'm sorry and thank you for being so patient. **

**As always, thanks again for all of the story alerts. And a big special thanks to plo4455, Othfan48, rosepetal16, Ellie, and Steffsche for your lovely reviews. They mean so much to me and keep me motivated.**

**And a sidenote, if anyone caught my date mistake in the last chapter, I apologize. The date should have technically been May 9, 2009. I know it was just a small mistake which maybe you didn't even catch, but I did. And it's been driving me crazy ever since I did. LOL. **

**Really quickly...who watched 9x11? Oh my gosh, how amazing was that episode! I was in tears. And Naley's reunion was so perfect! It's sad that Dan died, but I guess it was necessary and made complete sense. Still sad, though. But that episode could easily go down for one of the best episodes of the entire series. So good.**

**Anyway, enough talking. Onto the reading...**

January 15, 2010

"So, I totally think you should wear my red, halter top dress that I made for your birthday tomorrow night." Brooke suggested as she was lounging comfortably on Haley's bed.

Haley was busy typing away on her computer while momentarily pausing to turn towards her best friend. "Tigger, you know there is absolutely NO way that I am wearing that dress. Come on, that's a little much."

"Geez, Hales, you make it sound like it's some awful, skeezy dress." Brooke huffed feeling slightly offended.

"Brooke, you know I didn't mean it like that." Haley started feeling completely guilty. She definitely didn't mean it the way it came out. "It's a beautiful dress, and it's sexy. It's not skeezy. You just know me, it's not the type of thing I would wear."

"You're forgiven." Brooke said after a moment as Haley rolled her eyes while laughing. "But Hales, seriously, you would look totally hot in that. And you need to come out of your comfort zone."

"I'm open to coming out of my comfort zone, but that is way out. It's just not me, and I won't be comfortable in it." Haley tried to argue.

"Fair enough. But can we please find you an outfit that will show off that amazing body you have that you for some reason prefer to keep hidden? You're freaking hot, Hales, and there is nothing wrong with flaunting it." Brooke said and saw the reluctance in her friends' eyes. "In a classy way, of course." She added showing off her dazzling, dimpled smile to further persuade her.

Haley couldn't help but chuckle and concede. And it was forty minutes later that she found herself in an exhausting yet exhilerating shopping excursion.

Haley loved days and moments like this. Just simply shopping and spending the afternoon with her best friend. It's exactly what she needed to loosen up. It was rare that she actually had a full day off. She didn't have to work at the cafe nor in the hospital. She didn't have class. Yes, she had a paper to work on which wasn't due until Monday, and she already had half of it completely. And given that it was only Friday, she knew she had the whole weekend to finish it. Being the Tutorgirl that she is, she would normally never wait till the last minute to get it done, but she needed a break. Brooke called her up and begged her to come out to Trick on Saturday night so they could celebrate her twenty-sixth birthday. And she was more than willing to go out.

Haley had been killing herself for the past three years to finish up her college degree. In exactly five months, she would finally be graduated from college. All she had to do then was take her state boards exam, and she would officially be a nurse in the state of North Carolina. She couldn't wait. After close to seven years after graduating from high school and three years from where she thought she would be in her life, she finally felt like her future was about to start. Things were definitely looking up.

January 16, 2010

Nathan stood at the bar waiting for his drink. He scanned the club and noticed just how packed it was. He was happy to be back in Tree Hill for the weekend. It's been a crazy six months since he's been home for Lucas and Brooke's wedding. He immediately went back to Charlotte and dove right back into basketball. He worked himself to the bone trying to forget about his personal problems. The Sunday morning following the wedding, he woke up at the crack of dawn to catch the earliest flight. He didn't go straight to Charlotte, though, or else he would have driven. Instead, he met up with the rest of the team and Bobcats staff in Texas for their next game. While he was exhausted and wanted to go home instead, he had to shake off everything that happened while he was in Tree Hill. And focusing on basketball was his greatest escape.

So, here he was back in Tree Hill. This time, he was staying with Keith and Karen who were always so welcoming, and he knew it wasn't fake but real and genuine. His parents didn't even know he was in town, and he certainly had no intention of telling them. Aside from Keith and Karen, the only ones who knew he was coming was Lucas and Brooke and now anyone who was at Tric. His brother had called him up and informed him that everyone was getting together for Haley's birthday. He was hesitant at first. Not only because it was for Haley but because he didn't want to risk running into Dan or Deb. But after some debating, he decided that he did want to go.

"Here's your beer." Owen stated placing the bottle onto the surface of the bar.

"Thanks." Nathan said while grabbing it and taking a huge gulp.

"The Bobcats are looking great this season, man." Owen said making comfortable small talk.

"Finally." Nathan breathed out as the bartender laughed. "After last season, I was a little bit worried. But now things seem to be back on track." He continued. He scanned the crowd and noticed Rachel "discreetly" staring at Owen. He chuckled before turning back towards the bar. "So, how are things going with Rachel?"

"We've went out a couple times. She's a fun girl." Owen answered vaguely.

"That's all you've got to say." Nathan countered with a laugh.

"What are we? Chicks?" Owen joked joining in the laughter.

"Listen. You're a good guy, and I like you. But I've been friends with Rachel a long time, and I care about her. She really likes you, and that's a big deal for her. I know she seems like she's extremely confident, but she's not. She's very vulnerable, and self-concious..."

"Am I getting the 'big brother' speech?" Owen interrupted teasingly.

"Yeah, I guess, you are." Nathan answered with a chuckle. "But seriously, if this thing with Rachel isn't going anywhere, just end it. I don't want to see her get hurt." He finished.

"Okay. You have my word. But just between us right now, I really do like her." Owen admitted as Nathan nodded his head in understanding. The two guys clinked a couple beer bottles together. "Now get out of here."

Nathan looked at him confused while following his line of sight and noticed Rachel venturing towards their direction. He sent Owen a nod before walking away from the bar passing Rachel and smiling at her along the way. He made his way over to the table where the rest of his friends were sitting and took a seat next to Jake who had Peyton sitting next to him on the other side. He looked around the table and noticed that Brooke, Haley, and Bevin were not seated. He moved his line of sight towards the dancefloor and there they were. They were in the middle of the dancefloor, and he was surprised he had a pretty good visual of them. Last Friday Night by Katy Perry was blaring through the speakers as the girls danced like there was no tomorrow. He watched as they grinded playfully against one another which no doubt had every male in the place drooling over.

Nathan's eyes zoned in on Haley. He had to give credit where credit was due. She was looking good. Insanely hot would be the more accurate term. She was wearing a tight pair of dark denim jeans which showed off her short, slender legs and her ass...he had to face it. Haley James had one serious ass. He took the time to appreciate the way she moved it before taking notice of her top which was a pale yellow color with a fairly deep plunging neckline which showed off some of her cleavage. The shirt was a halter style which tied around her neck. It was tight enough causing it to cling to her body which only made her breasts look bigger. Haley had always been pretty well-endowed in the chest department so the "bigger dramatization" was definitely an added bonus. He thought for sure the paleness of the yellow would wash her out, but it did the opposite. It highlighted the small hint of a tan he knew was from the actual sun and not a tanning bed. Her blonde hair was straightened down just slightly passed her shoulders.

She really was a beautiful girl. He didn't understand how someone so seemingly perfect was such a first class bitch. And what plagued him even more was how attracted to her he was. He always has been. He knew nothing was going to come out of it, and he didn't want anything to come out of it. He had no interest in her aside from her physical attributes. Her personality was vile, and she was too much of a "goody, goody" to appeal to him in the slightest. But casting all of that aside, he was attracted to her. He came to the conclusion that it was her prude side which could account to his attraction which sounds like a total contradiction considering that's one of the reasons why he hates her. But he felt it was that 'You're a good girl. I'm a bad boy. And all I want to do is corrupt you and do things to you that you could never imagine.' type of reasoning. That's what it had to be. He couldn't find any other reasoning behind it.

"So, Nate, the team is looking great this season." Jake said shaking Nathan of his thoughts.

"Yeah, finally." Nathan said turning his attention towards the shaggy-haired brunette.

"You've got Indiana coming up, don't you?" Jake questioned accurately as Nathan nodded. "Well, that should be a piece of cake. The Pacers aren't doing well at all this season. Almost as bad as the Bobcats did last year." He added teasingly.

"Hey, you won't get any arguements from me." Nathan replied.

Over the course of the next twenty minutes, the boys continued their sports talk with Lucas, Skills, and Mouth joining in. Peyton and Millie had given up and accompanied the other three girls out on the dancefloor after some major probing from Brooke. But now, the ten friends has squeezed themselves around a couple of tables. Rachel was still sitting at the bar chatting with Owen...well, shamelessly flirting with Owen who was definitely reciprocating the sentiment.

"Okay everyone, listen up. It's time to play a little game of 'I Never'." Brooke announced cheerfully causing all of the others to let out a groan.

"Brooke, aren't we a little too old to play that game?" Haley asked rhetorically.

"I have to agree with Haley here." Nathan chimed in.

"Wow! Did Nathan Scott actually agree with me?" She countered smirking.

"Yeah, and you better document this moment, because it will never come around again." He said sending her his own smirk.

"Pipe down, you two. You are never too old to play 'I Never'. All you do is go around stating things you've never done. Since when is there an age limit for that?" Brooke said.

At this point, everyone knew playing the game was inevitable. Once Brooke got an idea in her mind, they went with it. "Okay, so I think that instead of playing soley with alcohol, we'll leave the drink up to choice. I'm not in a drinking sort of mood tonight, but I really want to play this game..."

"So, I've noticed." Haley muttered under her breath but just loud enough for Brooke to hear while sending her friend a playful glare which Brooke ignored and continued on. Haley noticed Brooke not drinking a drop of alcohol all night and that was very unBrooke-like. She always drank when they went out to Tric. Haley had questioned her about it earlier but Brooke brushed it away as just not feeling like it. Haley let it go, but she also couldn't stop the nagging feeling that was invading her mind. She had a hunch as to the reasons why the dimpled beauty wasn't drinking, but she decided that there was probably a reason why she was waiting to disclose any information. Haley's patience was wearing thin, though. If it was in fact the reason she's thinking, then all she wanted to do was celebrate with her best friend.

It was ten minutes into the game, and surprisingly everyone was basically sticking with pop as their drink of choice. It seemed as if none of them wanting to be nursing a hangover the next day. And they were all having a great time simply playing the game even though most of them knew all of the "answers" considering they've known one another practically their whole lives. But there were a few surprises here or there. By this point, both Rachel and Owen had even joined into the game since his shift was over.

"I've got one." Millie said. The rest of the group was still getting to know her. She was new in town and applied for a job in Brooke's clothing boutique. Brooke took one look at her in the interview and hired her on the spot. There was just something about her that stood out to Brooke. It didn't take long before the brunette put her matchmaking scheming to work and introduced Mouth and Millie to one another who immediately found an attraction and started dating and have been ever since. "I've never had sex." She revealed surprising everyone.

"Really?" Rachel questioned.

"Really. I want to wait until I'm married." Millie confirmed.

"Good for you. I don't think I could ever do that." Rachel replied.

"Damn, sorry Mouth." Skills shot out as everyone laughed. It was such a Skills thing to do. Mouth said it's okay while leaning over and kissing Millie on the cheek generating a series of 'awws' from all of the girls.

"Well, I said my 'I Never'. Drink up." Millie demanded playfully and watched as everyone took a sip out of their drinks.

"Hales, I think you should spit that diet pepsi right back into your cup." Nathan chimed in.

"Why would I do that, Nathan?" Haley challenged.

"Come on. Everyone at this table knows you're the biggest virgin here." He quipped with a chuckle.

"That's what you think." Brooke muttered off-handedly.

Nathan looked at Brooke before turning his attention back towards Haley as realization began to set in.

"Well, you learn something new everyday. How's it going, baby girl?" Skills said winking seductively at Haley causing everyone to laugh yet again.

"I say we quit with the game and listen to the story of how Haley became de-virginized." Rachel suggested as they all nodded.

Haley was sure her face was beat red by this point. This wasn't exactly the topic of conversation she wanted to be engaged in. Sure she wasn't a virgin nor was she ashamed of it, but it was still private. It was a personal experience with whom she'd only ever shared the details with Brooke. She was defnitely not up to this discussion.

Brooke could see the hesitation etched across Haley's face and quickly intervened. "Actually, Lucas and I need to talk to Nathan and Haley alone for a couple minutes." She began. Haley gave her a silent thank you as Brooke nodded and stood up. "So, if you guys will excuse us. Stand up, Broody. And Nathan and Haley follow us to the bar please."

Nathan and Haley stood up and followed in Lucas and Brooke's direction. "Are you really not a virgin?" Nathan asked catching Haley off-gaurd.

"Does it really matter?" Haley questioned.

"Ye...no. I was just wondering who got Haley James the queen of the virgins to give it up." He said smugly causing her to roll her eyes. "I thought you were waiting for marriage."

"I never said that. I just wanted to wait until I was in love so it would actually mean something." She answered.

"So, you were in love? When was this?" He asked.

"Why do you care so much?" She retorted.

"I don't." He said defensively.

"It sure seems like you do." She countered.

"Well, I don't." He bit out just as the two of them reached the bar to where Lucas and Brooke were waiting.

"Finally." Brooke said in irritation causing Nathan to roll his eyes. "So, we have some pretty big news, and we wanted to share it with you guys first."

"What is it?" Haley asked trying to contain her excitement.

Lucas and Brooke shared a look before turning back towards the other two. "I'm three months pregnant." She revealed.

"Oh my gosh, Brooke! This is so amazing!" Haley exclaimed embracing her best friend in an almost bone crushing hug.

"Congratulations, Luke." Nathan said he gave his brother a quick hug.

"Thanks." Lucas said in appreciation.

They all broke apart and switched as Nathan and Brooke shared a hug while Lucas and Haley shared a hug.

"I knew it. You are not that sneaky, Brooke Scott." Haley said pointing a finger at her.

"I know. I knew as soon as I didn't order a drink that you would get suspicious." Brooke responded.

"This is such amazing news. I'm going to be an aunt!" Haley squeeled.

"Whatever. At least I'm going to be related by blood." Nathan scoffed.

"You hush." Brooke scolded slapping him on his shoulder.

"Ouch!"

"Quit dissing my friend." Brooke warned playfully.

The four of them ordered a celebatory drink and toasted to Lucas and Brooke and the new baby and to the future.

* * *

><p>Nathan stepped outside into the brisk, fresh air. He was exhausted and was in need of a warm bed to climb into. The night had by far surpassed any nights he has had in awhile. And what surprised him most about that was the fact that he nursed two beers the entire night. Nothing more. And he still had an amazing night. It was exactly what he needed. But now, a warm bed was exactly what he needed. He was bushed.<p>

He walked down the stairs which lead to the parking lot in a quick pace wanting to get to Keith and Karen's as soon as he could. Stepping off of the final step, he took a few strides only to collide into another body. "Sor..." He began but quickly changed his tempo after realizing who it was. "Oh, it's just you."

"Jerk." Haley spit out.

"You know you love me, Hales." He added.

"If love is the new hate then yes, Nathan, I love you." She replied.

"Funny." He deadpanned as he stepped around her and headed towards the parking lot.

"You leaving?" She questioned turning to watch his retreating form. He looked back towards her for a brief moment while nodding his head before focusing his attention ahead of him. "Wait, you're okay to drive, right? I mean, you haven't been drinking too heavily or anything, have you?"

Nathan was right next to where he needed to be when he turned back around towards her. "I've had two beers, Hales. I think I'm fine." He answered. There wasn't any sarcasm in his voice but rather just a simple reply. But that didn't last too long. "Why? You itching to drive me home and maybe in your bed again?" He laughed as she loudly scoffed. "It has been a few months since we've seen one another let alone done anything else. What do you say? For old times sake?" He pressed further.

"Gosh, you're so...you're so..."

"I'm so...what?" He questioned.

"Annoying. You're so annoying." She replied lamely.

"Nice one, Hales. You got me good with that comment." He said as he reached into his pocket and fished out his keys.

Haley wanted to throttle him sometimes. Well, most times. She wondered if there was an actual concrete reason why he acts the way he does towards her or if he just gets a thrill out of it or whatever, but she wished he would just let it go sometimes. Especially in moments when she's actually being nice and was going out of her way to make sure he wasn't doing anything reckless or stupid such as drinking and driving. She continued watching him as he fished out his keys and then watched as he reached for a helmet that was on the back of a motorcycle. She crinkled up her forehead in confusion. "You have a motorcycle?" She questioned.

"Yup." He answered vaguely. When she didn't say anything further, he looked up and noticed her inching towards him slightly. "I've had this one for going on two years now." He offered up further.

"I never pictured you driving a motorcycle." She said off-handedly.

"Well, now you can." He countered swinging his right leg over so that she was straddling the bike. Before throwing his helmet on, he took one final look at her and noticed what looked like a look of disgust on her face. "What?" He scowled.

"What what?"

"You have that look on your face like you want to say something. So, spit it out. What's your problem now?" He questioned.

"You do realize how dangerous those things are, don't you?" She said jumping straight to the point.

"No, mom, I didn't. Thank you so much for letting me in on that fact." His voice oozing with sarcasm.

"Fine, you want to be a jerk, be a jerk. I was just trying to..."

"Find something to complain about." He finished interrupting her. He chuckled when her face showed zero signs of amusement. "Lighten up, Hales. They aren't even that dangerous. Not if you know how to drive them properly."

"You aren't the only one on the road. What about all of the other drivers?" She countered.

"The other drives who I have no control over you mean. Even if I was driving a car, I have no control over the actions of other drivers. Anything can happen on the road. Driving a motorcycle isn't any different." He replied.

"Except you're basically in the open with nothing shielding you if you got into a crash not to mention no seatbelts." She said.

"Have you ever ridden on one?" He questioned changing the subject just slightly.

"No!" She practically shouted.

"You want to come for a ride with me?" He asked catching her off-gaurd.

"Yeah, right." She recovered quickly. "This is probably all a setup so that you can be the 'cause' of my death."

Nathan laughed at her dramatic response. "Haley, I love my bike too much to risk injury to it. Even if it meant being rid of you." He threw out teasingly as she glared at him. "Come on. Come for a ride with me." He offered again with a gentle, persuasive tone.

Haley was taken aback by the sincerety in the way that he offered. She observed his face and noticed how much softer it had been from the few minutes prior. She also noticed the way his eyes seemed to light up. Letting her gaurd down for a slight moment, she actually felt that he wasn't just messing around with her or anything to that effect. He looked completely, one hundred percent sincere. And if she didn't know any better, there seemed to be a twinge of excitement in his face as well. She listened as he told her he had a helmet for her while holding it out towards her.

Haley let her eyes zone in on the helmet stretched out in front of her before casting her eyes over to the bike. So many conflicting arguements were running through her head. She couldn't. Could she? They're so dangerous. And you'd have to really have faith in the driver. Did she have faith in Nathan? Ordinarily, she'd say 'hell no!' but there was something different with his tone and expressions. She bit her bottom lip as she pondered the pros and cons before finally coming to her senses. "No, I can't. There's no way I'd ever ride on one of those things." She answered with forced certainty.

"Suit yourself." He said shrugging his shoulders and bringing the helmet back in towards him. He positioned it onto his head before placing the key into the ignition and reving the bike up.

Haley watched in rapid fascination which she shook off as mild interest. She was broken out of her reverie when his voice boomed over the engine.

"By the way, Hales. Happy birthday." He said before peeling out of the parking lot leaving behind a small cloud of dust.

**Please let me know what you guys think. I hope you're still as invested in this story as I am. Next chapter, we're going to be jumping ahead some more to get this story moving along. I am going to really try hard not to take so long for another update. Please stick with me.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back with another update. Can you believe how fast I got this one out to you guys? I can hardly believe it myself. Lol! I just started writing, and I couldn't stop. And don't make fun of me, but I was actually crying while I was writing this chapter. But I'm blaming it on the pregnancy hormones. ;) Anyway, this chapter is more of a filler chapter. There's a lot of Haley/Brooke friendship fluff, but their relationship (as well as Lucas and Nathan's) is important to this story so it has to be incorporated into chapters. In a couple of chapters is when this story takes a turn which if you guys have seen the movie, you probably know what I'm referring to. :( But I'm actually really excited to get to that point as well to create a new dynamic to the story.**

**And a warning...this chapter is slightly longer than the rest, but I felt that it had to be to get the general basic points across. So I apologize if you don't enjoy reading long chapters. It's not _terribly long. _But I'll give you a warning anyway. And another warning...don't hate me for the beginning of this chapter. I've been planning this all along, and there needs to be some more drama for future chapters. ;)**

**And as always, a big thanks to all of the story alerts I've been receiving for this story. It's so great to know that there are people who are enjoying it. And a HUGE thanks to my amazing reviewers for this last chapter...rosepetal16, Ellie, Skittlesgurl87, , Othfan48, C, Steffsche, and kaya17tj. Your reviews mean the world to me, and I can't stress that enough. So thank you.**

**In other news, I'm not really looking forward to the OTH episode airing tomorrow. It's nothing against Brooke or Julian, but this storyline doesn't sound fascinating to me at all. I don't read any spoilers so I'm just hoping the other characters and storylines are enjoyable considering the promo was all about Brooke. I guess, we'll see. So while I'm not too excited for the episode, I am excited to watch. A total oxymoron there. Lol! Two episodes left! Can you believe it?**

**Well, enough talking. Onto the reading (hope you enjoy)...**

_June 23, 2010_

Haley round the corner of the east wing corridor at Tree Hill Memorial which led to the elevators. Once closed off inside, she pushed the button to the lower ground and inevitably the cafeteria. She was starving. She was currently in the tenth hour of her thirteen hour shift, and she hadn't eaten anything but a measly chocolate chip cookie. A coworker of hers just recently found out she was pregnant so the rest of the nursing staff in their unit brought in a few baked treats for her as well as themselves. The cookie was good and definitely hit the spot at the time, but now she needed something with more substance. Not to mention more healthy. She had approximately three hours left of her shift, and she needed something to rejuvinate herself.

After ordering and paying for a half-sized grilled chicken ceasar salad and a large diet pepsi, she found an empty table which wasn't all that hard to do at the moment and plopped herself down in one of the chairs. She released a small sigh of content. Her feet were killing her, and it was so nice to be off of them even if for just a few minutes. Taking a quick gulp of her drink, she grabbed her fork and immediately began eating.

While eating, she couldn't help but think about how far she had come. One month ago, Haley finished her nursing degree, took the state boards which she passed with flying colors, and was now a full-time nurse at Tree Hill Memorial. It had taken her a lot longer than she had wanted, but now she was so thankful to be at this point in her life. She had a career-her dream career, and she felt as if her life and future had finally started.

Her thoughts were broken when she felt a shadow cast over her. She looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see Julian Baker standing next to her. "Hi, Julian." She greeted warmly.

"Hi, Haley. How are you doing today?" He asked politely.

"I'm good. Tired and hungry, but I'm good." She answered as he let a small laugh escape from his mouth.

"Well, at least you're quenching that hunger right now." He said pointing towards the food on the table as she nodded. "And as far as the tired thing is concerned, you wouldn't be able to tell at all by looking at you." He complimented.

Haley couldn't help but blush from his comment. Julian Baker was the new pediatric doctor at Tree Hill Memorial. He was transferred from Charleston, South Carolina four months ago. By that time, Haley was still working as the receptionist, but she still remembered the day she met him. There was talk all day about the new peds doctor. The gossip mill was definitely running that day throughout the nursing staff. It seemed as if every female nurse was talking about how 'hot' the new doctor was. Quite frankly, Haley had grown tired of it by the first hour of her shift. She didn't understand what the big fuss was all about. Sure, she hadn't seen the man yet so she was unable to join in. And yes, he was a pediatric doctor but she had no doubt in her mind that he was probably just another arrogant, egotistical doctor. She hated stereotypes and actually reprimended herself slightly for making such accusations, but considering that's how ninety percent of all the doctors at Tree Hill Memorial were, she justified herself. And she honestly just wanted to do her work and go home. She wasn't in the mood to sit around gushing over the new doctor.

She had been entering a patient's insurance information into the data base when he approached the desk. She remembered how her body temperature grew higher reacting towards his presense. Obviously since she hadn't spoken to him yet, she first noticed how good looking he was. He had a 'pretty boy' type look to him with gorgeous green eyes, slightly shaggy yet clean brown hair, and a boyish grin which couldn't help but generate her own smile. He broke her out of her lustful haze by asking her if she could help him. He told her he had a new patient waiting for him but couldn't remember which exam room she and her mother were currently waiting in. Haley remembered fumbling over her words a few times which caused him to smirk only making her even more flustered. She quickly obtained the information he asked for and dispensed it to him before burying herself back into her own work hoping to forget about the few minutes prior where she made a complete fool of herself. However, his voice sounded once again. "By the way, I'm Julian Baker." He introduced himself.

"I'm Ha..."

"Haley James. I know." He interrupted coyly catching her off-gaurd. "It's nice to meet you." He continued sending her a soft smile before turning around and shuffling away.

She remembered staring at his retreating form well until he was completely out of her sight. She was still shocked by their whole encounter and didn't know how to process any of it. She hadn't felt that way about a guy in a long time. Not since her freshman year of college. _Maybe Julian Baker wasn't at all like she conjered him up to be. _She thought to herself. One more blush invaded her face as she smiled inwardly before returning back to work. And that was the day she met Julian Baker.

"So, when does your shift end?" He asked making conversation.

"In about three hours. You?" She asked.

"I am just about to start hour one of a nineteen hour shift." He answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That doesn't sound like fun at all." She responded.

"Actually, I'm looking forward to it." He said as she gave him an incredulous look. "No, I'm serious. I've had the past few days off for vacation, and I've been feeling pretty restless and itching to get back to work. I miss my patients."

Haley smiled at his explanation. She could tell from the tone of his voice and the expression on his face that he was being completely sincere. She had grown to really know Julian over the past few months, and the first thing she learned was how much he loved his job. He loved working with kids and loved kids in general. They had talked frequently during breaks or in passing, and she realized her first assumptions about him were dead wrong. She even admitted this to him in which he surprisingly didn't take any offense to. And even though, they still had a lot to learn about one another, Haley had feelings for him. She was attracted to him for sure but now it ran a little deeper. She wondered if he felt the same. The thought crossed her mind several times. Sometimes she felt that he might considering the definite flirting done between the two of them from both sides. But she always had doubts in the back of her mind, because if he did in fact have an interest in her, why hasn't he acted on it and asked her out? So because of that reason alone, she chalked the flirting up to that just being in his nature. She could accept it, because while she had feelings for him, she also valued their developing friendship. And if she couldn't have him in a romantic sense, then she was willing to have in the friendship sense.

"Well, it's nice to have you back. You haven't missed too much, though. Things have been pretty uneventful around here." She stated.

"So I've heard." He commented. "Well, I better get started on my day. I just wanted to stop by and say hi." He said.

The two of them said their goodbyes before he walked away from her table and out of the cafeteria. Haley ate the rest of her salad and drank the rest of her diet pepsi, threw her trash away, and headed back upstairs to resume the rest of her shift. All she could think about now was her hot shower and warm bed which was waiting for her at home. Just three more hours she kept chanting to herself.

* * *

><p>Haley rolled over in her sleep only to come into contact with another body. Completely confused, she opened her eyes and saw Brooke sitting in the bed next to her reading a magazine. "Good morning." The brunette greeted.<p>

"Good morning. What time is it?" Haley asked.

"Ten till eight."

Haley let out a groan realizing she had only been sleeping for just under two hours.

"When did you get home last night?" Brooke asked.

"Try this morning at about five. After a thirteen hour shift." Haley answered.

"Ooh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"No, it's fine. What are you doing here?" Haley asked.

"Lucas and I got into an arguement. I didn't want to look at his stupid face so I came here." Brooke answered with a huff.

Haley chuckled at her friend's dramatic answer. "What did you guys fight about?"

"Everything." Brooke replied vaguely as Haley gave her a look to explain further. "Things have just been so stressful lately. He's been working so much. I thought that once school was out which by the way was two weeks ago, he would be home more often since he had no other teaching jobs for the summer. But that's not the case. He and Skills started up that summer basketball league which ultimately takes up a lot of his free time. And he's been helping Keith out at the dealership so that's another thing. And meanwhile, I'm stuck at home about to pop. Not to mention how uncomfortable I've been for the past two months. And to just add to everything else, we still have work to do with the new house but Lucas doesn't have any spare time to actually work on it. I would prefer to live in our old, tiny apartment rather than our new, unfinished house with crap all over the floor. I can't stand it, Haley. Anyway, this morning I snapped and brought everything up. He argued back with some lame excuses which are SO not flying with me at the moment. I told him that until he rearranges his priorities, I'm leaving. And then I came here."

"I'm sorry, Brooke." Haley said sympathetically.

"I shouldn't have barged in here without talking to you first."

"Who do you think you're talking to here, Tigger?" Haley spoke. "You know that you never have to call first before coming here. And you know that you are welcome to stay here as long as you need to. Just as long as you don't mind sharing the bed."

"Well, I would rather sleep with you as opposed to Lucas who tosses and turns in his sleep like he's on fire." Brooke joked.

"And how is my gorgeous Goddaughter doing?" Haley asked placing her hand on Brooke's protruding stomach and rubbing it gently.

"She's kicking up a storm actually. I think she's just as anxious as mommy is to come out."

"Likewise. I can't wait to meet her. It shouldn't be too much longer. Your due date is only a week away." Haley stated.

"I know. It feels so crazy. So, I've been trying to hold it in, but I can't. You have to promise me you won't tell Lucas that I told you, though." Brooke began as Haley quickly nodded. "We decided on a name."

"Oh my gosh! What is it?" Haley asked in excitement.

"Sophie Elizabeth Scott." Brooke revealed and smiled at the look on her friend's face. "Don't look so surprised, Hales. Like I wouldn't name my daughter after her Godmother and my very best friend in the whole world."

"I love it, Brooke. And I am very honored. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Brooke said as the two girls collided in a sweet embrace. "Now, I expect the same sentiment whenever you have kids of your own. Even if they're all boys. I expect one to be named after me." She added teasingly yet seriously as they laughed.

"You have my word." Haley promised pulling out of their embrace. "Do you want me to make you something to eat?" She offered.

"Nope. Here's what's going to happen. You're going to go back to bed while I sit here and continue reading this magazine. Got it." Brooke said sternly.

"Got it." Haley mock soluted before sinking further into her bed once again as sleep quickly engulfed her.

However, only thirty minutes had passed when Haley awoke to Brooke's frantic voice calling her name. She sprung up quickly in her bed and noticed her friend standing near the door. "What's going on?" She asked.

"My water just broke." Brooke answered.

"Oh my gosh. Okay. Okay, let's get you to the hospital." Haley said climbing out of the bed and quickly throwing on a pair of grey sweatpants, a maroon Stanford t-shirt, and some tennis shoes. She tossed her hair up unto a messy bun before grabbing Brooke's suitcase and leading her friend out the door and locking it behind them.

* * *

><p>Nathan stepped off of the elevator onto the third floor of Tree Hill Memorial leading him into the Neonatal Unit. He walked passed several exam room and delivery rooms and headed towards the receptionist desk. He reached the counter and was met with a young woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties. She had blonde hair which was up in a bun and a thin black headband. She was definitely attractive. He rid himself of those thoughts. That was not why he was here. He made a mental note to maybe get a name and phone number later on before focusing on the real reason he was here. "Excuse me."<p>

"Hi. Oh, wow. You're Nathan Scott." The girl choked out in surprise causing him to smirk. He watched as she quickly recovered and sent him a flirtateous smile. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, my brother and his wife were admitted a few hours ago. Is there anyone who can give me an update on them?" He asked.

"Sure. What are their names?"

"Lucas and Brooke Scott." He answered and waited patiently while she did a quick scan through the patients.

"Yes. It looks like they were admitted six hours ago. Mrs. Scott seems to still be in the prep room and hasn't been taken into delivery yet so it looks like it might be a bit of a wait. Last time I checked, there were some family and friends in the waiting room. It's down the hall to the right."

"Okay. Thank you so much." He said in appreciation while sending her a flirtateous smile causing her to blush while making his way down the hall. He turned to his right and instantly saw Keith and Karen sitting in the chairs.

"Nathan!" They both greeted enthusiastically.

"Hey, Keith. Karen." He returned as the three of them gave each other a hug. "I heard it might still be awhile."

"Yeah. I'm growing really anxious here." Karen said.

"I'm surprised Dan and my mom aren't here." He commented.

"Well, Deb is actually covering the cafe for me." Karen revealed as Nathan looked at her skeptically. "She was there having breakfast when I got the phone call that Brooke had gone into labor. And since Haley was the one who was with Brooke when it happened, she very well couldn't cover. And I know she would rather be here anyway." She explained.

"I guess that's that." He commented. "Speaking of Haley, where is she?" He asked changing the subject.

Karen cast her eyes to the left which Nathan followed. And sure enough, there was Haley spawled out on along the small couch seemingly dead to the world. "That poor girl has probably gotten a total of three hours of sleep in the past twenty-four hours. When we found out Brooke was only 4 centimeters dialated, she finally gave in about a couple hours ago. I don't think anything could wake her up at this point." She said.

"Sorry, bud. We might be in for a long wait. If you want to head to our house, it's open. We can call you when it's closer." Keith suggested.

"That's okay. I want to be here." Nathan replied as Keith nodded.

"Well, we are certainly happy to see you and have you here." Karen said sincerely giving him another hug.

"Would you like me to go get you guys something to eat or drink? You must be starving." He offered.

"Actually, if you wouldn't mind waiting here with Haley just in case there's any word, Karen and I might head down to the cafeteria." Keith said.

"Of course not. Go ahead. I'll hold down the fort." Nathan answered.

Keith and Karen said their thanks and headed away from the waiting room and towards the elevators. Nathan took a deep breath before taking a seat on the chair next to the couch Haley was lounged out on. He glanced down at her and noticed how huddled together she was. All she had on was a t-shirt which didn't look to be very thick. And it wasn't exactly warm in the waiting area. He shed out of his sweatshirt and draped it across her upper half careful not to wake her up. Not that he thought she would. She did seem pretty out of it, but just in case. He then picked up a nearby magazine and began to sift through it.

* * *

><p>Haley stirred awake confused by her surroundings for a brief moment until she realized she was at the hospital. She sat upright and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.<p>

"Did you have a nice nap, kiddo?" A motherly voice asked.

She found Keith and Karen sitting adjacent to the couch she was sitting on. "Yeah. How long have I been out?"

"Five hours." Keith answered.

"Five hours? Brooke. Did she have the baby?" She asked remembering why she was in the hospital.

"Nope, not yet. I think they're about ready to take her to the delivery room, though. I think she's trying to torture me. She sure is taking a long time to have that baby." Karen stated.

"You know Brooke. Fashionably late is her motto." Haley said as they chuckled.

Haley moved her legs underneath her so she was sitting Indian style on the couch when she noticed the sweatshirt she had been hanging onto. "Who's is this?" She asked examining it.

"I think it's Nathan's."

"Yup, I'm assuming so." Haley said pointing to the Bobcats team logo. "So, that means he's here."

Karen laughed as she listened to the sound of utter disdain in the young girl's voice. She didn't know what it was about those two that made them hate one another. She truly didn't understand it. And based on what both Lucas and Brooke had to say about their whole situation, it seemed as if they didn't understand it either. Brooke actually went as far as gushing about how perfect they would be for one another if they just opened their eyes and took a chance. "Yes, he is here. Sorry. I actually think he's out there flirting with that girl who is working at the reception desk."

"Shocking." Haley muttered under her breath.

Keith and Karen chuckled as they shared a look of amusement with one another. As if on cue, Nathan walked back into the waiting room and plopped down on the couch right next to Haley practically pressed right up against her. "Excuse you." Haley scoffed moving slightly over.

"You're excused." He countered with a smug smile.

"So, did you get the hobag's phone number?" She questioned oozing with disgust.

"Why? Are you jealous?" He asked.

"Not at all." She responded as he nodded skeptically. "You should probably know though that that girl you were talking to is like one of the biggest whores in this hospital. You name a doctor, and I can almost gaurentee that she has slept with him."

Nathan cut his eyes to her amused as she continued to go on and on about this girl. For someone who claimed to not be jealous, she sure was worked up about this. "You really hate this girl, don't you?" He interrupted her rant.

"I don't hate her." She retorted as he quarked an eyebrow. "I don't. She just doesn't have a good reputation around here."

"So...you're actually looking out for me." He stated with complete interest.

"Don't flatter yourself." She chuckled. "And you know what, come to think of it. She's actually perfect for you since you probably don't have to worry about getting an STD. You probably both already have the same ones. Especially considering how much your whoring ways have been advertised in the media lately." She added earning a glare from him. She continued to laugh as she stuck her arms through the sleeves of his sweatshirt while putting her head through the neck opening and cuddled into the warmth of it.

"You enjoying MY sweatshirt." He bit out.

"I am actually. Thank you." She said in a sickening sweet voice before sticking out her tongue playfully at him.

Nathan couldn't stop the small chuckle that escaped from his throat. Haley really was too much sometimes. And he so badly wanted to generate a comeback to what she said about his "whoring" ways but he came up short. Ever since he found out she wasn't a virgin, he had to admit it was difficult finding ways to antagonize her. Usually all of his responses depicted her virginity somehow. He didn't like not being able to come up with some scathing comments to throw back at her. It was like she had some kind of hold over him now. And he didn't like that one bit.

"It's killing you, isn't it?" She asked breaking him out of his thoughts.

"What?" He questioned confused.

"That you have no comebacks anymore." She said with a smirk as if reading his thoughts.

_Damn it!_ And he hated that even more.

Before he could even muster up a response, feet shuffled into the waiting room capturing all of their attention. "I have someone I'd like you guys to meet." Lucas voice sounded while holding the baby in his arms as everyone jumped up and walked over to him. "This is Sophie Elizabeth Scott." He introduced.

"Oh my gosh, she's beautiful." Karen gushed with tears in her eyes. Keith, Nathan, and Haley all generated similar responses while continuing to 'ooh' and 'aww' over the baby girl laying in his arms over the next few minutes.

"Hey, Lucas." Haley began softly capturing his attention as he waited for her to continue. "Which room is Brooke in?"

"318."

She thanked him and walked away from the rest of them in search of the room. Once she found it, she immediately went inside and saw Brooke laying on the bed peacefully with a look of pure happiness. "You're glowing." Haley commented.

Brooke smiled boisterously when she heard her best friend's voice. "Hi." She exclaimed.

Haley rushed over and hugged her friend tightly yet gently given her nature as the two held onto one another for several minutes while tears strolled down their cheeks. "She's so beautiful, Brooke." She said pulling back to look at her. "You did good. You and Lucas."

The brunette laughed and shook her head. "We did, didn't we?"

Haley sat on the edge of the bed right next to Brooke and clasped their hands together. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and sore. A little emotional. But very happy."

"You're a mom, Brooke." Haley stated.

"I'm a mom."

"You are going to be the most amazing mother a girl could ever ask for. I can see it now. Sophia will most likely be a little fashionista herself. And just as stunningly beautiful with the best sense of humor. A girl with the biggest heart. Your own little miniature 'Brooke Davis'. The world better watch out." Haley said.

"I've been doing some thinking." Brooke said randomly.

"About?" Haley prodded.

"You need to have a little girl of your own very soon." Brooke began as Haley looked at her amused. "Well, there can't be another Brooke Davis without having her very own Haley James."

Haley smiled and laid her head on the brunette's shouler as Brooke laid hers on top of Haley's head. "I love you, Brooke Penelope Scott."

"I love you, too, Haley Elizabeth James." Brooke replied. The two laid on the bed in silence for a couple passing minutes before the door opened and in walked Lucas, Keith, Karen, and Nathan. Over the next hour, the five of them conversed and continued gushing over Sophie until Keith and Karen decided to call it a night with the promise of returning the following day to visit some more.

Haley was currently craddling Sophie in her arms sitting on a chair nearby the bed with Nathan sitting on the armrest while Lucas and Brooke were lounging in the bed. Brooke, who was staring at Nathan, Haley, and Sophie, smiled inwardly at the sight in front of her. She continued to watch as Nathan and Haley were both smitten with the baby in front of them and seemingly unaware of the outside world surrounding them.

"Well, well. What do we have a here?" A voice sounded. They all turned their heads towards the door where Dan and Deb were standing. "Look at that, Deb. The perfect family. And here I thought we were coming to see Lucas and Brooke's kid." Dan said smugly pointing towards Nathan, Haley, and Sophie.

The calm, soothing sensation quickly lifted finding itself replaced with a sense of fierce turbulance. Haley immediately felt Nathan stiffen next to her. The tension in the air was so uncomfortably thick and for what felt like hours, nobody muttered a single word.

"What are you guys doing here?" Nathan asked breaking the deafening silence.

"We are here to see our grandchild, of course." Dan answered before turning his attention to Lucas and Brooke. "So, where is _your_ baby?"

"Cut the crap, Dan." Nathan warned.

Dan and Deb walked further into the room. "We just came to see her and how you guys are doing." Deb said trying to put a stop to what her husband was doing.

"Thanks, Deb." Brooke said graciously yet cautiously. "Her name is Sophie Elizabeth Scott. You're welcome to go see her."

Deb nodded in gratitude and went to where Nathan and Haley were sitting. "She's really beautiful." She commented with complete sincerety. "It's good to see you, Nathan. I didn't know you were in town."

"I came as soon as I got a call from Lucas. I'm only here for them." He responded making sure to emphasize his last sentence which his mother definitely seemed to take the hint on.

"Well, either way, it's great to see you." She said softly trying to forget about her son's obvious dig. "She is so precious." She said changing the subject and focusing back on the baby.

"That she is. She looks like Lucas which is a good thing." Dan commented who was now standing next to his wife.

Haley glared hatefully towards him before looking over to Brooke with sympathy who returned the sentiment. Haley knew that by this point, Brooke was used to Dan's hateful comments, but she also knew they still affected her to some degree.

"Can I hold her?" Dan asked.

Haley instinctively held Sophie tighter and closer to her body as Nathan stood up and stepped in front of her shielding them from his father. "No, you can't."

"So you are her father. You get to make the decisions surrounding her." Dan retorted.

"Dan, let's just go." Deb tried intervening pulling on her husband's shirt sleeve.

"Look at that. Mom's actually making a coherent decision. You should take her advice and leave." Nathan said.

"I'll leave when I get the chance to hold my granddaughter." Dan said standing his ground.

"Dan, I think it's time for you to go." Lucas said speaking up and walking to stand next to his brother. "Look, Brooke and I will bring her over to the house sometime soon, but for now, I think it's best for you to leave."

"Fine. We'll leave." Dan relented staring menacingly at Nathan before looking past him at Haley and Sophie. "By the way, you look pretty good for someone who just had a baby." He shot out smugly just as Deb grabbed a hold of his shirt sleeve tightly and pulling him out the door with her. Once the door shut, everything expelled the breath they were all holding in as the tension seeped back out of the room.

"I'm sorry." Nathan apologized turning towards his brother.

"What are you sorry for?" Lucas asked confused.

"I didn't mean to start anything with him."

"Were we in the same room? Nathan, you didn't start anything. And we are not mad at you or upset with you for any reason." Lucas assured.

"Definitely not." Brooke said. "Actually, I want to thank you for being so protective over Sophie. You're going to be one kickass Godfather." She added.

"I am, aren't I?" Nathan commented while looking at Haley with a smirk on his face causing her to roll her eyes.

**I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think. And look out soon for the next update. :)**

**Sidenote...yes, I used the actual name for the baby from _Life As We Know It, _but it's such a pretty name. And when I was writing, that name kept standing out to me. And also, Haley's middle name...while I actually find it very fascinating that Haley was named after a cat on the actual show, I couldn't do that in my story. I just couldn't. Lol!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Back for another update. Bare with me while I vent for a moment. So I actually had this whole chapter finished on Thursday night. All I had to do was go back and check through any mistakes, and I should have done it that night, but I was exhausted and decided to call it a night. I saved it, and logged off of my computer. On Friday morning, I logged back on to tweak it and then put it up, and guess what? Yeah, everything I had written somehow deleted. I opened it and it was all there. I went to touch my mouse, hadn't even laid a finger on it and all of a sudden, everything disappeared! I was SO angry. I worked hard on that chapter, and I thought it came out so well. I was really proud of it. :( So, I had to rewrite everything, and I tried to remember it the way it was but I failed. Some things I did; others not so much. So, I hope you still like this rewrite, but I'll tell you that it's not the way I wanted it to be. And also because I was in a rush to get this done, I didn't go through and check any grammar/spelling mistakes so I apologize.**

**Anyway, once again, thank you for the amazing story alerts. It means so much to me that people are still enjoying this story. And of course, a big thanks goes out to Ellie, Othfan48, rosepetal16, kaya17tj, Steffsche, Skittlesgurl87, Mrs Haley James Scott 23, and lnoir for your lovely reviews. I owe a big apology to lnoir. I am so sorry. I swear I added your name in the last chapter's review recognitions, but for some reason every time I write your name, it disappears. If you noticed, there's no period mark in between, and that's because it's the only way I can actually add you with it showing up. I feel so bad. Please forgive me. And thank you so much for your reviews for both chapters 5 & 6. And again, thank you guys for your reviews. They really do mean so much to me and keep me motivated to continue writing.**

**And one final vent...9x12. Okay, Brooke is not my favorite character nor is Brulian my favorite couple but I can tolerate them. And sometimes within certain storylines, I love them. And I can even tolerate when an episode is centered around them. No big deal, in my opinion. However, I don't like how Julian rewrote history for his television show. I get that he wanted to write a story about him and Brooke. It makes complete sense. And if he wanted to write about them meeting in high school, again, whatever. But don't take what really happened to not only Brooke but all of the characters in high school and A) add yourself B) change it. That's a problem for me, because I watched these characters-my favorite characters-grow up and go through all of those instances. And if feels really disrespectful as a fan to see that tampered with. Maybe I'm being dramatic about it, but that's how I felt when I watched the episode. But that aside, it was a _decent_ episode. Not great by any means but mildly tolerable. Only one more episode left you guys! How crazy is that? I don't know how I'm going to handle watching it next week. I have a feeling I'm going to need some tissues.**

**Well, enough of my rambling and start reading :) ...**

_June 23, 2010_

Dozens of balloons different shades of pinks and purples surrounded the area. Two 'Happy Birthday' banners were strung along a couple tables where food and presents galore adorned their surfaces. Bright fushia pink table cloths covered the table tops with lavender confetti spread strategically in a strip along the length of the tables along with a small arrangement of deep purple gladiolus placed directly in the center. A moon bounce which moved consistently due to the jumping children inside was located in the left corner of the yard. Kids were running and jumping playing various types of activities all over the backyard while teenagers and adults filled the tables or perched on the freshly cut grass engaging in random, animated types of conversations.

And the weather. The weather was beautiful. The sun was brightly shining creating a warm temperature set around the mid 70s. There was a very mild breeze which allowed for a cooling effect against the sun's rays. There was no cloud in sight. Women didn't have to worry about their hair which most likely took them one, two hours tops to perfect blowing all over and inevitably causing knots and a big old mess on top of their head due to heavy gusts of wind. Profusive sweating wasn't an issue since the humidity was low and the temperature was under control. Thankfully, also diminishing the possible horrendous odors which undoubtedly follows consistent perspiration.

Haley walked swiftly yet gracefully along the stoned walkway and found Keith and Karen sitting and chatting at one of the tables with a couple other couples. She made her way towards them, smoothed out her cream colored paisley sundress, and took a seat on the adjacent bench. "I cannot get over how beautiful this day is." She stated turning on the bench so she was facing them.

"I know. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. Very fitting in my opinion since the day is in celebration of the most beautiful baby in the whole world." Karen said.

"You so sounded like Brooke right there." Haley teased.

"Oh no, she's rubbing off on me. That's a scary thought." Karen added as everyone at the table shared a good-natured laugh. "So, how's the hospital?"

"Good. Busy, but really good." Haley answered.

"Well, summer is here. That means a lot of kids outside playing and having lots of accidents."

"And that is definitely the case." Haley said.

"I actually wanted to ask you something, and I feel really guilty about it." Karen began as Haley looked at her confused. "You don't have to say yes at all. I don't want you to feel obligated or anything like that. I don't want you to worry about disappointing me or letting me down or..."

"Karen, what is it?" Haley chuckled.

"The weekend of July fourteenth, Keith's parents are renting a house up on the lakes and invited us and Lucas and Brooke up to spend the weekend with them. I don't have anyone to cover the cafe, and I'm at a loss as to what to do. I don't trust Deb to fully be in charge, and there may be a small possibility that Dan and Deb are going as well. I know you aren't working that weekend at the hospital, and I feel terrible asking you to work on your weekend off, but I am. And like I said, you can say no. And I'll even pay you double what I paid you when you worked here for me full-time."

"Of course, Karen. It's not a problem at all. And you don't have to pay me double. I would love to help you out. Besides, there are days that I really miss working at the cafe." Haley said.

"Thank you so much, Haley. And we really miss you over there, too." Karen said in complete gratitude.

Just then, a small shadow cast over and beside them causing them to turn to their sides where they saw Brooke standing. "Well, hello, Brooke. This is one fantastic party." Haley said.

"I know, right?" Brooke replied as they all looked at one another knowingly and couldn't help but laugh. "Anyway, I am so sorry, but I am here to steal Haley away for just a few minutes." She said while grasping Haley's arms and dragging the both of them away from the table and towards the house. The two girls arrived in the kitchen where Lucas and Nathan who was holding Sophie were already at. Nathan was sitting at one of the stools at the bar while Lucas was standing next to him both nursing a bottled beer.

"Have no fear boys...we have arrived." Brooke announced walking over to her husband and planting a quick, chaste kiss on his lips and backing away before he had the chance to respond and heading towards the counter next to the refrigerator and pouring champagne into two glasses.

"Brooke, what possessed you to choose the theme and color for this party. It seriously looks like someone vomited pepto bismol all over the place." Nathan said causing Haley to roll her eyes.

"Lucas." Brooke said kinking her eyebrows.

"Ouch!" Nathan yelped after Lucas punched him in his left arm. "Dude, what the hell?" He asked looking towards his brother.

"Sorry, man. That was from my wife. Not me." Lucas defended placing his hands up in mock surrender.

Nathan shook his head before sending a menacing glare his sister-in-law's way.

"Anyway, Lucas and I wanted to talk to the two of you in private for a few moments." Brooke said handing Haley one of the glasses she filled.

"What's up?" Haley asked taking a seat on the stool next to Nathan.

"We just want to tell you guys how much you mean to us. You don't know how great it's been having you guys here supporting us the way you have. Well, always have. You are truly the best friends and family we could ask for. There's a reason why we chose you as Sophie's Godparents, and you have proven that time and again this past year. She adores you both so much, and we can see and hear that the feelings are definitely mutual." Brooke began but paused to let out a faint sniffle.

"Are you crying?" Nathan asked incredulously as Haley backhanded him lightly on his chest.

"Mothers cry." Brooke justified before continuing. "Anyway, we just wanted to make a toast to two of the most important persons in our lives. So...to Nathan and Haley for being more amazing than we could ever dream or hope for you to be with Sophie and just in general. We love you both so much."

The four of them clinked their glasses and bottles together. "Cheers." They said concertedly.

And now that that's done, I would like to say something myself." Haley spoke up as the focus turned towards her. "I just wanted to say that you guys make the most amazing parents, and Sophie is so lucky and blessed to have you in her life. And it has been an honor and privilege to be a part of it with you and watch her grow over the past year. I love you. And happy birthday to little miss Sophie." She said leaning in and showering the young girl with kisses causing her to giggle.

"Ditto to what she said." Nathan added as they all laughed.

"Well, now that that's settled. It's picture time!" Brooke said cheerfully placing her glass on the counter and picking up her camera.

Nathan groaned as he set his beer down on the bar behind him as Haley and Lucas did the same with their drinks before following the bubbly brunette into the living room. "Your mother is crazy, Soph." He whispered playfully.

"Shut up, Nathan! I need to have at least one photo of Sophie with her amazing Godparents on her very first birthday so deal with it."

Nathan sat on the couch placing the young girl on his left knee while Haley plopped herself down next to him. She wrapped her arms around Sophie causing her to basically lean completely into Nathan's side as he draped his left arm down and around her side. And for just that short time span, they put aside whatever issues they had with one another which they usually did concerning Sophie and allowed Brooke to take a picture of the three of them.

"Fabulous!" She exclaimed. She and Lucas then disappeared outside to get everything together for Sophie to "open" her presents. Haley picked up Sophie out of Nathan's arms and carried her with her back into the kitchen with Nathan following her. She opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottled water.

"I still can't get over your hair." Nathan commented while once again taking a seat on his previous stool.

Since Sophie was born, Nathan's trips home have become longer and more frequent especially during the offseason. Not only did he come to see Sophie but to see his family and friends as well. The ones who he cared about anyway. Not Dan and Deb. Things with his parents have calmed down slightly. Sure they didn't talk nor did he ever visit them on any of his trips, but when they happened to run into one another around town, things were civil. Awkward but civil. Even today. Dan and Deb were both there, but the three of them managed to stick to their own "sides" which Nathan deduced was Keith's and Lucas' doing.

For the last three months, though, due to new contract negotiations as well as potential player tradings Nathan hasn't been able to visit. In fact, he really didn't have the free-time to be home for this weekend, but there was no way he was going to miss Sophie's birthday. Over the past year, he had truly developed a bond with the little girl. He loved her so much, and she's the only girl who's ever been able to get him to cave into almost anything. Sure enough, he became a big ole' "softy" around her.

The last time he was home back in March, Haley's hair was still her normal blonde color. Over the year, it has grown considerably. The length was now much longer stopping at the lower middle of her back. But her previous blonde locks were now a chestnut auburn color. Ever since he's known her, her hair has always been the same blonde color. He didn't even think she ever got it highlighted let alone fully dyed. It was definitely a change which he took notice to right away.

"What's the big deal? I don't remember asking you for your approval or anything so I quite frankly could careless if you don't like it." She replied with annoyance.

"I never said I didn't like it. I said I can't get over it-the change, I mean." He countered before adding, "I do, by the way. Like it." And he did. Today she had it down with a slight curl to it while two chunks on the sides framing her face were pulled back with a couple of bobby pins clasped together in the middle top of her head. The blonde hair definitely looked good on her, but this new color was so fresh and lively. He definitely wasn't going to be complaining about this change.

He could tell that he had caught her off-guard slightly as a small blush formed on her cheeks. He heard her mutter a 'thank you' before focusing her attention completely on the little girl in her arms. Nathan smirked observing the sight while taking a swig of his now slightly warm beer.

* * *

><p>"So, what's going on with you and cutey pie doctor?" Brooke asked as she and Haley were laying leisurely on her bed with Sophie in between them. The party had ended an hour ago and all of the guests had left except Nathan and Haley. Lucas and Nathan were downstairs cleaning up any remnents left from the party while Brooke and Haley took Sophie upstairs to bathe and change her.<p>

"Nothing."

"Seriously? It's been a year and nothing?" Brooke asked incredulously as her friend shook her head. "What is that boy's problem?"

"Maybe he just isn't interested." Haley replied nonchalantly acting as if it didn't affect her in the least.

Over the past year, her relationship with Julian deepened. They talked often and opened up to one another. During shared shifts, they tried to eat lunch together as often as they were able to. They were quickly becoming close friends. But friendship aside, there was still something deeper there. At least, Haley felt it. She thought he felt it, too, considering the shameless flirting done by both parties. She gave him all of the appropriate signs to let him know she was interested so the question remains. Why hasn't he asked her out? As the weeks then months went on, Haley came to the conclusion that he simply wasn't interested in her for anything more than friends. And she's accepted it.

"Oh, that's bull and you know it, Hales. For one thing, he flirts with you constantly. And for another thing, he always gets really nervous around you which is totally adorable. He always tries to appear so 'macho like', but it's so obvious. In a cute way, of course." Brooke said.

"Then, why hasn't he asked me out, Brooke? I mean, if he was in fact interested then he would have done something about it by now. Don't you think?" Haley countered.

"Maybe he's just shy." Brooke suggested as her friend gave her a 'yeah right' type of expression. "Look, I don't know why he hasn't. I don't know the guy nor am I able to read his mind."

"Maybe I'm just not his type."

"What? Smart, funny, compassionate, and totally hot isn't his type." Brooke quipped. She noticed the look of doubt cross Haley's face and sighed. _Why couldn't Haley see how beautiful and amazing she is?_ She couldn't help but wonder.

Haley didn't really see anything worthwhile about herself. She wasn't glamorous. She didn't wear dresses or skirts or heels all the time. She didn't have the latest clothes designed by any top designers. On special occassions, she dressed up in the appropriate attire and enjoyed it, but it wasn't her. She was the most comfortable wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with tennis shoes and most recently hospital scrubs. She failed to see that guys turned their head in her direction when she walked passed. She failed to see any of it. To her, she was just plain Haley.

"Hales, you are so amazing and stunningly beautiful. Any guy would be lucky to have you, and if he can't see that then that's his loss." Brooke said.

"Thanks."

Brooke nodded as a couple comfortable minutes of silence passed between them before she spoke once again. "I think I should just march over to that hospital and find out what that boy's problem is. I mean, seriously. He deserves the wrath of Brooke Scott right now for not being man enough to make the first move."

"Tigger." Haley said in warning.

Brooke rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Fine. But you know where I live if you ever want me to drill some sense into the boy."

Haley laughed before focusing her attention on the little girl laying between them and said in a baby voice, "What are we going to do with your mommy, Soph? Huh? What are we going to do with her?"

Sophie looked up at her with her blue, doe-like eyes and smiled that gigantic smile of hers. Haley tickled her causing the sweetest, most precious giggles to fall from her lips.

Brooke watched the two interact and felt her heart constrict like it normally did when she saw them together. Sophie had taken such a liking to both Nathan and Haley. It was immediate. Her face lit up when she was with either of them. She truly loved them both.

Brooke couldn't help but think how lucky she was. She had a booming career, a beautiful house to live in, wonderful friends, and the most amazing family complete with the perfect husband and daughter. She's come a long way to get to where she is now, and she truly is blessed. Right now, her life was good, and it was perfect.

**So, this was basically another filler chapter, but again, another necessary one. Let me know what you think! Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up soon! The next one is a major turning point in this story. And for those of you who have seen the movie, you probably know what I'm talking about. :( I'm going to work really hard on it, because I want to do it justice. And I will warn you that it might be a long one since I have a lot of stuff to incorporate into it.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, back for another update. I hope you guys "enjoy" this chapter. It's not quite the way I wanted it to turn out, but I still think it's okay. I had this whole plan on how I was going to write it, but when I actually sat down and started writing, the direction I wanted to take this chapter changed a bit. So, hopefully you like the direction I took it.**

**First off, thank you hebewe for pointing out the date mistake I made in chapter 7. For those of you who may not have caught it, the date in the beginning of chapter 7 should have been June 23, 2011 instead of June 23, 2010. So, thanks again.**

**As always, thank you for all of the story alerts I have been receiving for this story. It means so much to me that people are interested in this story. And a big thanks to lnoir, kaya17tj, Mrs Haley James Scott 23, othfan48, Steffsche, hebewe (also for your reviews of previous chapters 4, 5, 6 :) ), rosepetal16, Ellie, and Sophiaaaaa for your amazing reviews. I appreciate you guys taking the time to write a review. It means so much to me.**

**So, what did you guys think about the series finale? I have to admit that I really loved it. I think it was a great way to end the show. And I feel like the three core characters got the recognition they deserved. I loved all of the little flashbacks and stuff with Nathan, Haley, and Brooke. It was nice to see each couple and character getting final closure. I'm wondering where the heck a final Nathan, Haley, Jamie, Lydia scene was. I mean, really? You have two core characters and a core couples, and there's no final family shot? Sure, makes sense to me. Lol! But that aside, it was a really nice episode, and I actually really loved the flash forward at the end. I can't believe OTH is over forever. It's crazy! 9 years. It's hard to imagine. But I was ready for it to end, and I look forward to what comes next for the cast. Some I will be following while others I simply appreciate their time and dedication on the show. :) And I've been an emotional wreck ever since last night. Lol! I will randomly start thinking about OTH and just start crying. It's sad, I know. :)**

**Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoy!**

_August 14, 2011_

Haley rushed through the hallway in the pediatric wing up on the third floor. Weaving in between and dodging patients and fellow staff members, she knew she was just a few rooms away from her destination. Code Blue. Those two words sent chills down anyone's spines. And when you're in the pediatric section, it only adds to the intensity and dread.

Arriving in room 316, she immediately took over CPR following a pattern ratio of thirty chest compressions to two breaths of air. "Has someone paged Dr. Baker?" She asked in between compressions.

"Yes."

Haley simply nodded in response knowing there was nothing further she could do until Dr. Baker arrived so she put all of her focus on the fourteen year old boy laying on the bed in front of her who wasn't responding. Her primary goal was to at least get him breathing once again before the doctor arrived.

After a set of five compressions and breaths, Dr. Baker finally arrived in the room. "How long has he been down?"

"Five...six minutes at most." Haley answered.

"Okay, let's get the defibrillator running. We've got to shock him." Dr. Baker announced as the staff scrambled to get everything together while Haley continued her CPR. She stopped placing the pads on the boy's chest and took a small step back allowing for the doctor to begin the shocking process. "Clear!"

All eyes were on the monitor which still showed a flat-line prompting Dr. Baker to send another shock into his system. The process continued just a couple more times until there was once again rhythm within the boy's heart. Every staff member in the room let out a sigh of relief.

"Welcome back, Brian." Dr. Baker said as the teenage boy slowly opened his eyes with a struggle. "Now you know better than to pull that type of stunt. We all have jobs to do, and we don't need to be wasting our time on you." He teased.

"I just love to keep you on your toes, Doc." Brian teased with a raspy voice right back.

Over the course of the next thirty minutes, Dr. Baker and Haley stayed by Brian's side observing his vitals and discussing his prognoses as well as various treatment plans with his parents. After feeling as if everything was covered for the time being, the two of them left the room. "This is the hardest part of the job." Julian said as they made their way towards through the hallway.

Haley didn't have to say anything. She knew what he was referring to.

"Brian has been a patient of mine for six months now. And he's been on the transplant list for a new heart for eight months. Day by day, I have to watch him get weaker and weaker. And day by day, I feel more and more helpless, because there honestly is nothing I can do until we get a heart for him. And I hate that. He's such a good kid. He's bright and funny. He's kind. And he has such a great attitude towards everything." He said sadly.

"I'm sorry, Julian."

"It's part of the job, right?" He asked rhetorically as she gave him a sympathetic look. "Anyway, thanks for your help in there."

"It's part of the job, right?" She said mimicking his previous statement.

Julian managed to let out a strangled laugh appreciating her response. "Well, I have more patients to attend to." He began as she nodded in understanding. "Hey, are you busy later tonight?"

"Not that I know of. Why?" She responded feeling butterflies in her stomach. She really didn't want to read too much into it, but the way he asked her-so nervous and hesitant-she couldn't help but wonder if he was finally going to ask her out.

"Well, I was...umm, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to grab some dinner with me tonight." He stammered.

Haley couldn't stop the smile forming on her face. She knew she must have looked like a giddy little school girl, but she couldn't stop it. "Yeah, of course." She answered and her smile widened as he let out what sounded like a sigh of relief.

"Okay. Well, I don't really know what time I am going to be wrapping up. It's supposed to be around seven, but you know how it is around here sometimes."

"It's okay. I can wait. Just call me whenever you're finished." She said.

"I will." He said as they shared a small smile. "Well, I have to go. I'll talk to you later. Bye, Haley."

"Bye, Julian."

* * *

><p>Haley laid back against the porcelain tub with her eyes closed. Aromatherapy candles were lit in what seemed to be every available crevice with the lights dimmed low. The scents alone were enough to drive her into complete relaxation. The faint sound of instrumental pieces of music was playing soothingly on her CD player as she enjoyed their melodic rhythm.<p>

She returned home from the hospital a couple hours prior. She sliced up a couple granny smith apples and ate them as a quick snack before taking an hour long nap. She knew she'd probably be obsessing over her and Julian's date later. Well, at least she hoped that's what this dinner tonight would be considered. So instead of driving herself crazy, she figured sleep would be the best way to take her mind off of it. Once she awakened, she contemplated whether or not calling Brooke to fill her in on the details but decided against it. She knew her friend-in a good way-would only cause her nerves to increase. She'd probably want to come over and help her pick out an outfit or even bring her something new from her clothing store. And then, she'd most definitely want to do her hair and her makeup for her.

All through their years growing up together, Haley acted as Brooke's personal own "client". When Brooke wanted to sew new clothes together and see how they looked on a real person as opposed to a mannequin, she tried them out on Haley. Whenever they went out somewhere which required a dressier appearance, Brooke usually took over. Haley drew the line on clothing considering their clothing styles were really different. Every once in awhile, Brooke would find something Haley would approve of, though. But when it came to her hair and makeup, that usually fell under Brooke's control. And Haley didn't mind one bit since it was really rare that she actually got all "dolled up".

Haley wanted tonight to be something simple. She still didn't want to over-think things, because there was a small part of her doubting tonight was in fact classified as a date. She didn't want to complicate everything. And she didn't want to get her hopes up. She had already scanned her closet for an outfit she felt was appropriate for either circumstance-date or friendly dinner. She decided to straighten her hair leaving it completely down and opted for her normal natural look complete with soft browns and beiges for her eyes with a touch of pink blush on her cheeks to give her some color and applying just a simple light pink tinted gloss to her lips.

All except for easing her nerves, she was completely ready for tonight. And that's what she was hoping this bath would do for her-calm her nerves. So far it seemed to be doing the trick. Fifteen minutes in and she was feeling the most relaxed she has felt in a long time. The shrill ringing of her cell phone startled her just slightly before regaining her composure and picked it up. "Hello?" She greeted and listened as the person on the other line asking her to speak to a Haley James. "Yes, this is she."

One line. That's all it took for Haley's whole world to come crashing down on her. One line.

Haley couldn't even remember what happened after that. But here she was now, rushing into the hospital for a completely different reason than before. This time she wasn't running late due to the bakery on 5th Street being more packed than usual, but she made herself wait because they bake the most amazing blueberry muffins. No. This time it wasn't for that reason at all or anything even remotely close. And she wasn't rushing through the halls for the reason she did just earlier in the day. She wasn't trying to save a patient. Nope. There weren't any patients of _hers _which needed tending to at the moment.

Fear and panic. Those would be the two words to most accurately describe everything she was feeling at the moment. She rushed through the halls weaving in and out and dodging other people. She was running so fast that she could barely breathe. All of those times when she's put off going to the gym were evident in moments like this. Arriving in the ER, she immediately approached the receptionist desk. After quickly explaining the reason she was there, the girl who looked to be in her late twenties rattled off some response. The girl kept explaining to her that there was a waiting room she could wait in, but Haley stopped listening to her once she said there was no further information from anyone yet.

Haley backed away from the desk and made her way towards the waiting room. The dreaded waiting room. She always felt sorry for those family members or friends who sat there feeling and looking so helpless. She knew what was running through their minds. _Why haven't we heard anything? Surely there must be someone who could tell us something. It's taking too long. Please be okay._ On several occasions, she had to deal with those who were too impatient-rightfully so, of course-and decided to use her as their own personal verbal punching bag. She remembered those days as a receptionist and remembered feeling the same way they did at times. Helpless. And now, here she was feeling that way once again but this time, she was actually one of _them_.

Helpless.

She walked towards one of the free benches and felt as if she was suddenly in a movie. You know during those times when everything just starts going in slow motion to heighten the audience's overall affect. Yup, that's how she felt right now. Realizing that they probably called her since she was listed as Brooke's emergency contact person, she dug her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed the numbers with shaky hands. Voicemail.

_Hi, you reached Keith and Karen. We can't come to the phone right now so please leave us a message, and we'll be sure to return your call. Thanks. Bye._

"Hey, you guys, this is Haley. Something has happened, and I need you to call me as soon as you get this." She said with an equally shaky voice before ending the call and dialing the number to the cafe as well only to have the waitress inform her that Karen had left for the day. She left a message with the girl as well just in case Karen or Keith went back again.

She didn't know how long she sat there. It felt like hours, but she knew it was probably only minutes. Staring at the doors to the ER, she felt the tears pricking her eyes. The fear, the panic, the uncertainty...it was all starting to eat at her. She felt herself losing any and all self-control. The tears which started out ever so softly were now streaming down her cheeks. She had a feeling. A feeling she couldn't explain but still had. And it wasn't a positive feeling.

One of the doors to the ER swung open as a man walked through it. A man dressed in blue scrubs which had patches of blood all over them. A man who she recognized. Dr. Moore. She didn't know him personally but simply through passing, and she could tell he instantly recognized her as well. She looked at his face and saw it. She knew that look. And just like that, her feeling from only seconds prior was officially confirmed. He made his way closer and closer to her, and she had to look away. The pity was written all over his face and in his stance screaming at her. She couldn't take it. Hearing her name, though, had her turning to look at him once more.

"Haley, I am so sorry. We did everything we could."

And just like that, her world seemed to collapse around her. She began to hyperventilate while hearing the faint words _take deep breaths_ echoing in her ear. Everything around her became a blur causing her to snap her eyes shut. She knew someone must have been holding her up considering her legs had given out awhile ago. _It's a dream. It's all a dream. It's time to wake up now._ Her mind kept replaying. But it was all in her head. She wasn't going to wake up. This wasn't a dream. This was in fact a nightmare. A real life nightmare.

Seconds and minutes ticked by on the clock as she felt her body slowly calming down. She could feel her legs once again. Her breathing was relatively returning back to normal. She closed her eyes and took one final deep breath before opening them and focusing them on Dr. Moore who was still standing in front of her. "What happened?" She managed to ask in a strangled voice.

"It appears as if a deer jumped out in front of the car causing them to slam on their brakes. With the rain, the roads were a little slick..."

"A deer." Haley mumbled unbelievingly. _An innocent little deer caused all of this._

"It seems as if he lost control of the vehicle and hit the side rail causing the car to spin before smashing into a telephone pole. The guy was announced dead at the scene while the girl was..."

"Brooke." She corrected.

"Huh?"

"Brooke! Her name is Brooke. His name is Lucas. Lucas and Brooke!" She exclaimed in frustration drawing the attention of others in and around the waiting room as well.

"I'm sorry, Haley." He apologized sincerely.

Haley nodded her head tiredly as tears once again enveloped her. She didn't mean to explode like that, but something inside of her snapped. He needed to say their names or else she wouldn't be able to believe it was really them.

Dr. Moore seemed to understand her outburst and continued with his explanation of what happened. "Brooke wasn't breathing when they found her at the site but still had a faint pulse. She was brought here and then..."

"I know the rest." She interrupted him quietly while shaking her head and looking down.

"I'm so sorry, Haley."

She simply nodded and heard him saying something about having to go and if there was anybody she wanted them to call for her. She managed to let out a simple "no" and watched him walk away. "The girl."

"What?" He asked confused turning back towards her.

"They have a little girl. She wasn't in the car with them?"

"No. It was just them." He answered.

Haley let out a sigh of relief and nodded her head in response. More tears-tears of relief-formed in her eyes. _Sophie was okay._ He sent her one final apology before once again turning away from her and walking back the way he came out. All she could do was stare at his retreating form before feeling herself falling into an open chair.

Again, she had no recollection of time. For all she knew, she sat there for hours. She felt numb inside. She heard a couple people asking her if she was okay but she never responded. _Just leave me alone._ That's all she could think and feel in the moment.

A voice broke her out of her reverie. A voice she knew all too well. She turned and saw him standing in front of the receptionist desk asking about _them_.

"Nathan." She called out.

Nathan turned when he heard his name and noticed Haley near the entry to the waiting room. Ignoring what the girl behind the counter was blabbering off to him, he started walking closer to her. The look on her face sent a chill right down his spine. He never muttered a word, but he guessed the questioning look in his eyes had her understanding what he was asking her. He watched as she shook her head. Her lower lip began to quiver, and he saw the tears falling from her eyes.

Not saying a word, he wrapped his arms around her as she dug her face into his chest sobbing. She was clutching his shirt tightly causing his hold on her to tighten as well. Nathan felt his own tears forming as they clung to one another with everything they had.

* * *

><p>Nathan turned on the light in the foyer and led her through the quiet house. She hadn't muttered a word since they left the hospital. He continued holding her hand as he walked them up the long staircase and to the guest bedroom. "Well, you can stay in here tonight. My room is right down the hall. So if you need anything, you know where to find me. Okay?" He questioned.<p>

She nodded her head slightly at him.

He headed towards the door but just as he touched the doorknob, her voice stopped him.

"Thank you, Nathan." She muttered quietly. So quietly he almost didn't hear her. He sent her a soft smile before opening the door and leaving her all alone which was exactly how she felt.

Alone.

Nathan leaned against the closed door and closed his eyes. It wasn't long after he arrived at the hospital when Keith and Karen came running in. He still remembered the looks on their faces. It mirrored the one Haley sported. Feeling himself on the cusp of tears, he snapped his eyes shut tighter trying to block them away. Once he felt himself relax slightly, he pushed away from the door and headed downstairs. Walking into the kitchen, he saw his mom sitting at the island with some tissues and a glass of wine on the surface in front of her.

"Nathan? I didn't...what are you...I'm so sorry, honey." She stuttered brokenly.

For a split second, Nathan almost let his guard down. But he didn't. Not now. Not today. He couldn't worry about what she was feeling or how to comfort her. Hell, he could barely comfort himself right now. Not to mention, Haley. The girl was a mess. He couldn't worry about his mom when he was already worried about Haley. Not to mention himself.

"Where's Dan?" He asked.

"I don't know. I went to the dealership and told him what happened after I got a phone call from Keith, and he took off. I looked for him for a couple hours and tried calling him, but nothing. I haven't seen or heard from him since." She answered.

"Well, I, umm...I just needed something to drink. I think I'm just going to go take a shower and then go to bed." He began even though he knew sleep wasn't going to come easy for him. Not tonight. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah." Deb agreed sadly.

"Umm, Haley's upstairs in the guest bedroom." He informed his mother as she looked at him questioningly. "She shouldn't be alone tonight. Keith and Karen went and picked up Sophie from Peyton's and took her home with them, and I just don't think Haley should be alone."

"Sophie. That poor girl." She said feeling her heart breaking.

The thought of Sophie got to Nathan. He had to get out of there before he completely lost it in front of his mother. He felt her touch his hand lightly, and he couldn't help but pull it back as if she had burnt him. He saw the look of hurt in his mother's eyes, but he just couldn't deal with it. He couldn't. "I'm going upstairs." He said and quickly headed back upstairs.

Reaching his bathroom, he stripped out of his clothes and turned on the hot water in the shower before stepping in. He had to get this day off of him. He grabbed the soap and scrubbed his skin. He wanted to feel numb. Maybe if he felt numb, the pain wouldn't be so excruciating. His right hand holding the soap moved swiftly. After a couple of minutes, he lost control and dropped the bar of soap and watched as it hit the floor and slid around his feet. He leaned his hands flat against the tile as well as his forehead. His breathing was erratic as he let his tears consume him completely while his body began to shake almost violently.

Ten minutes later, his body had calmed down and he stepped out of the shower while grabbing a nearby towel and drying off his body before dressing in a black pair of sweatpants and an old Ravins t-shirt. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and took a deep breath. Feeling completely exhausted, he opened the door while flicking off the bathroom light at the same time. He jumped when he noticed Haley sitting on his bed. He placed a hand over his rapidly beating heart and breathed deeply. "Damn it, Haley! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He scolded.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled brokenly staring at the carpet.

His face softened immediately. "What are you doing in here?"

"I...I can't sleep." She answered looking up at him. "I don't want to be alone tonight, Nathan."

Nathan's heart actually felt like it was breaking as he watched the tears stream down her cheeks. They weren't heavy sobs by any means, but they were enough. He quickly sat down next to her and pulled her into his embrace. He brushed some tears away. "Let's try to get some sleep." He said simply and stood up pulling her up along with him.

Haley watched as he moved the comforter and the top sheet back from his bed and motioned to her to get in which she complied to. Climbing into the bed, she immediately snuggled into his chest. She felt her body relaxing as he ran his hand soothingly up and down her back. She couldn't explain it, but she felt safe. And surprisingly, sleep invaded both of them.

* * *

><p>It's been five days. Five incredibly long, exhausting days.<p>

Haley observed herself in her full body length mirror. A black sundress along with a black three quartered sleeve cardigan adorned her body. She wore her hair down with a slight curl-the way Brooke said was always her favorite. Her face was vacant of any makeup, though, minus a small layer of concealer. She knew mascara was out of the question today considering she basically hasn't stopped crying in the past five days. And the times she did stop, she was seemingly dead to the world staying in bed. She didn't sleep. She barely ate anything. If she had to guess, she'd say she probably lost five pounds in the past five days. That's a good diet plan. _Have a loved one die._ She thought bitterly and laughed sardonically. She knew she looked terrible. There were dark circles under her eyes indicating just how exhausted she was. The last _good_ sleep she received was with Nathan the night they died.

She wondered how he was holding up. She guessed probably as _well_ as she was doing. After they awoke that next morning, they didn't say anything nor did they move right away. They simply just laid in his bed staring up at his ceiling. They must have stayed that way for a couple hours-not speaking. Not moving an inch. The last thing that was said between them was "Thanks for last night". Haley left and has effectively locked herself in her apartment since.

Julian called her a few times and left messages. Messages she hasn't listened to yet. More phone calls from Jake, Peyton, and all of their other friends came as well. Some messages left, some not. Again, she hasn't listened to them yet. She didn't want to hear their sympathies. She knew they meant well, and she truly and sincerely appreciated it. She just couldn't deal with it. Not right now. The only person she has talked to since was Karen who came by with some food from the cafe. The two didn't say much of anything. They just laid in Haley's bed and ate whatever food they could stomach. Haley couldn't help but think back to when her mom passed away. Just replace Karen with Brooke, and it was déjà vu all over again.

Haley often thought about calling Nathan or even just going over there, but she couldn't. For some reason, she always lost her nerve. She didn't know why. She just couldn't see him. She knew he had to be taking things hard. She heard him in the shower that night. She heard his cries, and she felt his pain. It's easy to do when you're experiencing the same emotions. She almost felt guilty for not calling him or visiting him, but then she realized he never did her either. So maybe he was feeling the same emotions she was. In a way, it seemed like an unspoken understanding between them.

She looked out her window. The weather was certainly fitting towards the day. It was rainy and gloomy. Clouds filled the sky completely not allowing for a single opened area of clear sky. It has been raining on and off all morning. She just prayed that it would be an "off" time during the actual burial. That thought had her closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She heard the sound of a horn honking and knew it was time for the inevitable. She took one final glance in the mirror before realizing it really didn't make a bit of difference if she looked presentable or not. Nothing mattered today except honoring Lucas and Brooke's memory.

* * *

><p>"Do you think she's going to be okay?" Rachel asked.<p>

Rachel, Owen, Peyton, and Bevin were sitting at a table outside. Luckily the rain had subsided for now. The clouds were still controlling the sky and rain looked like it was on the horizon, but for now, there was nothing. Following the funeral and the burial, practically the whole town found themselves at Dan and Deb's house. Deb quickly offered her services so Keith and Karen and even Haley and Victoria didn't have to worry about anything. Karen thanked her feeling nothing but gratitude towards the offer and quickly agreed. Plus it was easier to hold it there considering how many people had shown up.

"Who are you talking about?" Bevin asked.

"The walking zombie over there." The red-head said gesturing over to Haley who was standing against the side of the house by herself.

"Rachel." Peyton scolded.

"What? She practically is one right now, and I'm worried about her." Rachel said in a whisper. "Have either of you been able to get a hold of her this week?"

Both Peyton and Bevin shook their heads.

"What about Nathan?" She asked.

Once again, the other two girls shook their heads.

"Me neither. I just..." Rachel began but stopped as she felt tears pricking her eyes. "I just can't believe this has happened."

"When Jake and I received that phone call, I swear my heart stopped. I was the one who answered the phone. I just looked over to Jake who was playing with Sophie on the floor and about lost it. And then, the look on Keith and Karen's faces when they came to get her...I broke down as soon as they walked out that door." Peyton said.

"What's going to happen with Sophie?" Owen asked.

"I don't know. I guess, maybe Keith and Karen might take her. I don't know." Peyton said shrugging her shoulders.

The four of them turned their attention back over to Haley who was still leaning against the house staring straight ahead. "Should we go talk to her or something? I don't know what to do. Haley and I have never been super close or anything, and I don't know what she needs right now." Rachel said.

"I don't think any of us knows what she needs right now. Honestly, I think we should just leave her alone for awhile." Peyton suggested.

"Where's Nathan?"

"Last time I saw him, he was with Jake, Skills, and Mouth down in the basement. I think they all needed to get away for a little bit. Jake did tell me that he's tried calling Nathan a couple times this week and also didn't receive an answer." Peyton explained.

The four of them continued talking for forty-five minutes before the other guys arrived at the table and took a seat. Nathan, however, stayed standing.

"Have you guys seen Haley?" He asked tiredly. He was so exhausted-emotionally and physically. He watched and arched an eyebrow as Peyton, Rachel, and Bevin all pointing behind him. He turned and saw her leaning back against the house. "How long has she been standing there?"

"A little more than an hour."

He looked sharply at them. "Are you serious?" He asked as they nodded.

Haley felt nothing as she stood against the house. She didn't know how long she was standing there nor did she care. She probably shouldn't have walked around and mingled with the guests especially her friends and Keith and Karen. Heck, even Victoria. She just couldn't seem to find the strength to do so. She didn't want to feel anything right now. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She heard footsteps approaching followed by a shadow. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them and seeing Nathan standing in front of her. Not only Nathan, though. He was also holding Sophie in his arms. Haley felt the tears building in her eyes but despite that she smiled.

"Sophie wanted to see her favorite Aunt Haley." Nathan said holding out the little girl who quickly clung to Haley.

Nathan couldn't help but smile at the sight. He had a feeling this was exactly what Haley needed right now. He moved to stand beside her so they could both see Sophie's face who was full of smiles.

"It's not fair." Haley declared.

"Life isn't fair, Hales." He countered tiredly.

"Oh, thank you, Nathan. Thank you so much for that lovely sentiment." She bit out sarcastically.

"Well, what do you want me to say, Haley? Huh? Tell me what you want to hear me say to make you feel better. Hell, to make me feel better. This sucks, okay. And it's not fair. But I don't know what to say or how to respond. I look at Sophie and can't help but grow incredibly angry at whoever decided it was right to take her parents-my brother, your best friend-out of her life. Out of all of our lives. So tell me, what do you want me to say?" He argued back.

An uncomfortable silence engulfed them, and even Sophie sensed something was wrong between them as she stopped smiling and laid her head against Haley's chest.

"I'm sorry." Haley apologized.

"I'm sorry, too." He returned. After a couple of minutes, he asked, "How have you been?"

"Not so good." She answered honestly before asking him the same in which his response mirrored hers. "It still feels so much like a dream. I keep thinking that any day Brooke is going to come bouncing in sporting that beautiful dimpled smile of hers. Or she's going to show up at my apartment all pissed off at Lucas yet again for something." She said as they both let out a strangled laugh.

"I know what you mean. I keep waiting for Lucas to call me and rag on me about how the team is doing. Or to complain about Brooke being pissed off at him yet again about something." He said as they laughed even harder.

Silence once again engulfed them, but this time it was comfortable and inviting. However, Sophie's innocent little giggle interrupted the moment. The two of them turned their attention towards the little girl and smiled. Nathan wrapped his arms around Haley's shoulder and brought the both of them into his side while kissing the top of Haley's head.

Haley closed her eyes allowing herself to relax in Nathan's embrace and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"By the way, their lawyer wanted to meet with us tomorrow." He announced.

"What about?" She asked.

"I don't know. He just called me up and asked us to meet him at Lucas' and Brooke's house tomorrow at nine in the morning."

"Do you need me to pick you up?" She offered.

"Sure, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." She answered. "So, tomorrow—be ready at eight."

"Tomorrow at eight." He confirmed as they once again set their focus on Sophie who seemed to make everything so much better for the moment in which they gladly and gratefully accepted.

Neither knew what the next day would bring. They didn't know anything anymore. Life was too painfully unpredictable at times leaving people powerless to stop it. But the real question is...how do you get passed it and make the pain stop hurting? Would it ever stop hurting? Who had the right answer to those types of questions?

**Hope you "enjoyed" it! Leave me a review! I hope to have another chapter soon. And I hope everyone has a safe, enjoyable holiday weekend. Happy Easter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Back with another update! Sorry for taking so long to get an update up. I haven't been feeling the greatest since Monday. I hope everyone had an amazing weekend and a wonderful Easter. My hubby and I (and some friends) went to the Chicago Cubs game on Easter Sunday and had a blast watching them defeat the Washington Nationals 4-3 (sorry to their fans :) ). It was a beautiful day and a fantastic game. It was just what we needed to start the new week.**

**I wanted to note something-if any of you watch Grey's Anatomy avidly like I do, then you'll probably recognize a line I **_**borrowed**_** from the show. I have watched a couple episodes this past week and heard this line again, and I instantly thought of the Baley friendship in my story.**

**Again, thank you for the story alerts I'm receiving for this story. It really is so wonderful knowing people are interested in it. And thank you so much to anon, Tutourgirl23, naleyluv, KaceyO, Ellie, rosepetal16, othfan48, Steffsche, J. Caroline, C, kaya17tj, and mommyof3cutiestha for your lovely reviews. I appreciate you taking the time to write one. It means a lot to me.**

**I just have to say this...I still cannot believe One Tree Hill is over. I was prepared for it, but it still feels so surreal. I find myself thinking that we've got just a few more months until a new season starts again. Crazy! Lol! I just bought my season 9 DVD copy and rewatched it. I realized again how much I really loved this last season. :)**

**Anyway...enough talking. Onto the reading!**

Haley sat in the driver's seat staring through the windshield. It was a beautiful day. It actually mirrored similar to the day of Sophie's first birthday party. The sky was impeccably clear with not a single cloud in sight. The sun was shining down on them beautifully providing a temperature which felt pretty much perfect.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" She wondered aloud.

"What is?" Nathan asked confused as he unbuckled the seatbelt which was clicked together securing him in place.

"How beautiful it is today. I mean, yesterday it was so dark and depressing, but then today..." She began to explain before pausing. She looked down shaking her head and closing her eyes while placing her hands on the steering wheel. It was just a second later when she felt his hand pulling her right hand and clasping them together resting them in his lap. His hand was so warm and comforting, and she felt a tingling sensation shoot through her body. Turning her head and looking at him, she smiled softly-appreciatively-at him.

"You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." She replied as they both climbed out of her car and headed up the walkway which felt like it was everlasting. They paused at the door and took a deep breath before opening it and walking into their house.

_Their _house.

Haley looked around and tears immediately pricked her eyes. She couldn't explain it, but she thought it would look different. It certainly felt different. But everything was the same yet everything was so different. There were pictures dancing along the shelf against the wall in the foyer. Pictures of Lucas and Brooke from their wedding and some just from random. Pictures of Sophie alone as well as a couple of family shots. A picture of Keith, Karen, and Sophie. And finally, a picture of she, Nathan, and Sophie. Haley immediately recognized it to be from Sophie's birthday party. She turned and saw Nathan who seemed to have been engrossed in the same thing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the coat rack which had a couple jackets hanging from it. She walked over to it and fingered the black and grey plaid pea coat. Bringing it to her face, she smelt it. _Brooke. _Once again, the tears were on the verge of falling completely when she felt his comforting hand on her back.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really." She answered honestly before somehow managing to keep her tears at bay and turning towards him once again.

"We should go." He whispered gesturing towards the kitchen.

She nodded and followed him though the foyer and into the kitchen where a man in his what looked to be late forties dressed in a black suit sat at the breakfast table.

"You must be Nathan Scott and Haley James." He deduced standing up and sticking his hand out in front of him which they both took the time to shake.

"Yes, we are." Nathan answered.

"Hi, I'm Andrew O'Dell, Lucas and Brooke's attorney. Before we get started, I would just like to offer out my sincere condolences." The man began as Nathan and Haley nodded in appreciation. "Please have a seat." He instructed gesturing towards the table. Once everyone was seated, Andrew sorted through all of his paperwork. "I'm sure you two are wondering what all of this is about."

"Just a bit." Haley managed to respond.

"I needed to meet with you two to go over Lucas and Brooke's wills." He said.

Nathan and Haley both closed their eyes and took a couple deep breaths. Of course, that's why their lawyer wanted to meet with them. It makes complete sense now. They were curious, though, as to what was left for them. They each figured it was all of the simple items such as clothing, jewelry, pictures, etc. Taking another couple of seconds to compose themselves, they re-opened their eyes and once again looked at Andrew allowing for him to continue.

"Well, it's all pretty simple really. They basically left everything to the two of you."

"Everything?" Nathan and Haley questioned simultaneously.

Andrew nodded his head before proceeding. "With the exception of a few family heirlooms which were left for their parents and Sophie down the road, Lucas and Brooke wanted the two of you to have it all."

"I'm sorry, but I'm really tired. What do you mean _everything_?" Haley asked still trying to understand.

"Just what it means. Everything. I have already met with Keith and Karen Scott and Victoria Davis and basically _handed_ over what was left to them. So essentially, whatever you see in and around this house is yours including their two vehicles which after insurance was taken into account are completely paid for. The only thing, however, is the house. With it being a new, larger purchase, insurance wasn't able to cover the complete cost. It's still under their names and was left to you so it is yours if you want it. We would just have to transfer the payments over into your names."

Nathan and Haley sat there quietly still trying to process what the lawyer was saying.

"And it might be a good idea to do so with Sophie. It might help her adjust better over the next couple of months." Andrew continued as they looked at him completely confused.

"I'm sorry, but what?" Haley cut in. "What are you talking about concerning Sophie?"

"Well, you guys do know that..." Andrew began but paused taking in the total confusion written all over their faces. "Did Lucas and Brooke talk to either of you about what would happen to Sophie in the case of their deaths?"

Nathan and Haley looked at one another briefly before turning back towards the other man and shaking their heads.

"Okay. Well, this is a little awkward. Along with being Sophie's Godparents, you two were also named as her guardians in the instance that Lucas and Brooke died." Andrew revealed cautiously.

"What?" They both practically shouted.

Andrew looked between the two of them almost frightened. _It would have been nice to have a little bit of a warning on this one._ He couldn't help but think.

"I'm sorry..." Haley began with a slight chuckle. "They named the two of us...together...to care for Sophie?"

Andrew nodded hesitantly.

"There must be some mistake." Nathan spoke.

"I can assure you it's anything but." Andrew confirmed and watched the paleness overtake both of their faces. "I'm really sorry that this has been sprung on you guys. If it's any conciliation, I was under the impression that you two knew about this so I'm just as surprised as you are. I can't exactly speak for Lucas and Brooke, but they each left a letter for you in the event that something like this happened." He said reaching into his folder of documents and pulling out two envelopes and stretching them in front of him.

Nathan and Haley stared at the envelopes for what felt like forever. It was almost as if they were scared of what was written inside them. They were written by _them_.

Haley sat on the swing on the front porch and gently rocked herself back and forth for a couple minutes to help soothe her nerves. She stared down at the envelope in her hands. Taking a deep breath, with slightly shaky hands she opened the flap of the envelope pulling out the piece of paper inside of it and let the envelope slip through her hands falling down onto the ground.

_Dear Haley (Tutor girl),_

_If you're reading this letter...well, that sucks for me. Sorry, bad joke which I'm sure you aren't laughing at right now._

_Haley, there are so many things that I want and need to say to you. You are the most amazing person I have ever known. You are my best friend and my sister by every way that counts other than blood. We have been friends since we were six years old, and that has meant the world to me. You are the only person I can tell all of my deep dark secrets to. Even more than Lucas. You know things about me that he doesn't and will never know. You're my confidant and my safe haven. No matter what, I know I can turn to you for anything. And that still applies even now. Maybe now more than ever, I need you._

_I wrote this letter the day after I had Sophie. And I'm sure you have so many thoughts running through your head right now. And I know you're probably in shock and maybe even a little angry with me and Lucas. I understand that completely, and please be. You have every right to feel that way. And I am so sorry that I never talked to you about this and completely blindsided you and that wasn't fair. But to be fair, I also never thought we would be here right now. Sorry, another bad joke._

_I know what you're thinking. And I want to tell you that you're wrong. I would have never named you (and Nathan) to be the guardians of Sophie-my whole life-if I didn't think you could do it. There is honestly nobody else I want to take care of my daughter. I want her to grow up feeling loved and accepted and cherished and beautiful. I want her to grow up with someone who could be a real mother to her. I want her to grow up with you. I want you to be her mom. In my eyes, there's nobody else who could do the job better than you. Except for me, of course. Now, there's a joke I know you laughed at._

_And I know doing this with Nathan is the last thing you may want, but despite your feelings for each other, you two would make amazing parents to Sophie. And don't you see what the perfect combination it is for her? Nathan's like me. And you're like Lucas. Sophie would have a mixture of both of us together through you two. And we see how much you guys love Sophie and how much she loves you which made this decision all the more concrete and perfect. You may not see it now and it may take time to accept it, but I see it. Lucas sees it._

_Please, Hales. I know what I'm asking of you is big...HUGE. And it's life changing and so foreign and so uncertain and so...just so crazy, but I need you. I need you to watch over my little girl for me. I need you to watch her grow and help her grow. I need you to protect her and guide her. I need you to tell her about me. About me and Lucas. And nobody knows us better than you and Nathan do. And there's nobody we trust more with our child than the two of you._

_I do understand if it's something you don't want to be tied down to. I truly do, and I wouldn't blame you or be angry with you. Please keep that in mind as you make this decision. But I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't do a little begging. So pretend I'm standing in front of you right now-my lips are sticking out with a pout for overall effect, and I'm making my 'can't say no to' eyes. I'm standing in front of you, asking my best friend-my sister, Sophie's aunt and Godmother-to do this for me. Please, Haley. This is the single most important thing I have ever asked or needed from you. So, please, just don't dismiss it so quickly._

_Before I end this letter, I need to take up a few more lines and tell you this. I sound like a broken record, but you are one of the most important persons in my life. I could have never made it this far without you being such a pivotal role in my life. You helped shape me into the person I became. You stayed by my side through thick and thin, and I knew I could always count on you._

_Haley, I want you to know what a beautiful person you are-inside and out. You're just this girl next door with a heart of gold. You're selfless and have so much grace. You're so intelligent, and I've never met anyone who's been so determined to chase after their dreams. Through so many obstacles, you have never given up. You still found your dreams, and I am SO proud of you. You are such an inspiration to me and you deserve to have everything in your life. You deserve to find love and be happy. You deserve it all._

_Please don't ever doubt anything about yourself. You are amazing in every way, shape, and form. I may be sending out some lesbian vibe with this statement, but you're perfect. Believe in yourself, because you, Haley James, were born to do amazing things. And I believe in you._

_I love you so much, Haley Elizabeth James. It has been such an honor to have you as my best friend and my sister. I know you're going to miss me and question things, but everything happens for a reason, Hales. This sadly was my destiny. Don't dwell on it. Shed tears and relive memories but don't let it take over you. Don't let it consume you. You are strong enough to get through this. And your strength may come from somewhere or someone you never expected. Open up your heart to all possibilities. You never know where it may lead you._

_Lucas is the love of my life, but you are my soul mate, Haley James._

_I love you, and I will always look over you. I'm still here for you to talk to. You know where to find me-in your heart. I love you so much, Haley Elizabeth James. Take care of my baby girl._

_Love always,_

_Brooke Penelope Scott (Tigger)_

Haley folded the letter and closed her eyes as some tears fell down her cheeks. She sat there and allowed herself to cry. She needed to. It actually made her feel better and helped to comfort her. It was a good, content cry.

On the opposite side of the house, Nathan sat on the steps of the back porch reading his letter from Lucas.

_Nathan,_

_Don't worry, I'm not going to get all mushy and girly on you. Brooke recommended that we leave letters for you and Haley just in case something like this actually happened. And here we are. So, I just have a few things I'd like to say to you._

_You have to let it go, Nathan. And you know what I'm talking about. Dan and Deb. You have every right to be hurt and angry with them. They don't deserve your forgiveness or your understanding. But you do. You deserve to forgive them for yourself and move on. Stop living your life full of anger and resentment. Stop dwelling on it. I know it might take some time and it might seem like an impossible solution, but it will be worth it in the end. It will be worth it to get rid of those negative feelings. And then maybe you can continue living your life._

_Now onto the more pressing matter at hand-Sophie. I'm sorry for springing this on you, Nate. I should have told you about this and asked you first, and I'm sorry for that. But Nate, there's a reason why Brooke and I chose you and not someone else. You're my brother and Sophie's uncle-Godfather. She loves you, and I can see the feelings reciprocate. I want you to take care of her. I want YOU, Nathan. I understand if it's something you feel you aren't able to do, but I'm asking you to please do it. For me. For Brooke. And for Sophie. And you're probably screaming at us for including Haley in this, but you two are the only ones we trust to care for her. You two are the only ones who can raise her the way we want her to be raised. You're the perfect alternatives to me and Brooke. And alternatives isn't even the right word since you would never be classified as alternatives. And don't worry about Haley. You two will find a way to make it work. You always do when it concerns Sophie. So please don't dismiss this right away. Please think about it._

_And I have one more thing to say to you. Grow up, Nathan. And you know I don't mean that the way it sounds. I just mean, grow up and live your life. Get over your past and find the real you. That playboy, womanizing Nathan Scott you portray in the media isn't you. You know that, and I know that. So just stop it. Don't close off to who you really are and who you are meant to be. Who knows? You may even find the thing you've been looking for. The thing that's been right in front of you all along. Open your eyes and your heart, Nate._

_You're my brother and my best friend. Please take care of my baby girl and Haley. They're going to need you now more than ever. And I know you need them just the same. I love you man._

_Lucas_

Nathan folded the letter and place it back inside the envelope. He stared down at the object within his hands and let his brother's words sink in. What was he going to do?

Nathan and Haley found themselves back in the kitchen sitting across from Andrew O'Dell. Lucas and Brooke's attorney. Just an hour ago, they were told that it was them who would take over custody of Sophie Elizabeth Scott. Lucas and Brooke's only daughter. Their Goddaughter. She was their whole world outside of Lucas and Brooke.

"So, have you guys taken the time to think this over? Have you made a decision?" Andrew asked.

"This is just..." Nathan began but paused when he didn't really know what to say.

"What if, umm...what if one of us decided to take her? Would that be okay?" Haley asked while side glancing at Nathan.

"Or both of us." He quickly added.

Haley rolled her eyes. He wanted to get competitive at a time like this? In a situation like this?

"Well, legally, Lucas and Brooke left her to you guys. All you'll have to do is go to a small child court hearing and get things completely covered and she's yours. There may be a social worker assigned to just 'check up' on you guys from time to time to make sure things are going smoothly. But Lucas and Brooke did sign you as her guardians. So however, you two decide to go about that is up to you." Andrew answered.

Nathan and Haley shared a look with one another. It seemed as if with one look, they knew what they needed to do. Sharing a soft smile, they nodded slightly yet still apprehensively and unsurely.

It was two hours later when they arrived on Keith and Karen's doorstep. They didn't knock right away nor did they speak, but they also couldn't move. They couldn't walk away despite something in their heads screaming to run. Just run away right now. But they couldn't. So here they stood-standing in front of the front door staring into the open sunroom.

Haley closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt Nathan's hand enclose around hers. "We can do this." She heard him whisper, and she could tell he was trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince her. "Okay, let's go." She said. Without knocking, they turned the handle of the door and opened it while stepping inside. They heard laughter coming from the living room and followed the sound. Arriving in the room, they noticed Keith and Karen sitting on the floor playing with Sophie.

"Hi." Haley muttered quietly.

"Nathan. Haley." Karen said almost breathlessly.

"We were beginning to think you guys weren't going to show." Keith teased softly which actually generated small smiles from everyone.

"Can I?" Haley began pointing towards Sophie.

"Of course." Karen answered immediately standing up bringing the little girl with her and handing her over to Haley.

"Hi, sweetie." Haley said holding the girl in her arms. She closed her eyes and kissed Sophie's forehead gently. She once again felt the tears pricking in her eyes, but she forced them back. She had to stop crying. She had to stay strong-for Sophie. And for herself.

Nathan stared at Haley and Sophie and felt his heart constrict. He felt as though he was looking into his future and everything suddenly became blurry. Could he really do this? Could he really be a _dad_? Everything was so uncertain, and he had to admit that he was terrified. But on the flipside, there was this very small part of him that felt calm. He watched as Sophie laid her head up against Haley's chest and couldn't explain the sense of warmth that fluttered slightly within him. There were so many emotions stirring inside of him, and he was so confused.

"Haley, come with me. Would you?" Karen asked. She knew both Nathan and Haley needed to have some reassurance. Nathan needed a guy's perspective who acted like a father towards him while Haley needed the same with the woman who was like a surrogate mother to her.

Haley nodded and followed the older women out of the living room.

"How are you doing, Nathan?" Keith asked as the two guys took a seat on the couch.

"How do you think I'm doing?" Nathan bit out before immediately feeling guilty. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just tired, and this is a lot to take in."

"You don't need to apologize, Nathan. I get it. This was a complete shock to you, and you have every right to be a little on edge. We are all still dealing with everything. But it might help to talk about it."

"I don't know if I can do this. I'm not Lucas. I'm not cut out to be a father, and I wouldn't be good at it. I mean, look at my background. All I would do is screw up." Nathan said. He grew confused as Keith let out a chuckle. "I'm glad you find this amusing."

"It's not that. You know, you and Lucas are more alike than you think." Keith began as Nathan looked at him confused. "Did you know that Lucas and I shared a similar conversation after he found out Brooke was pregnant? We sat right here in pretty much the same spots, and I listened as he freaked out. He said he couldn't do it, and he wasn't cut out to be a father. And look how that turned around."

"But that's Lucas. He was born to have kids. He was married and had the support of a wife."

"And you'll have the support of Haley." Keith quickly added and watched as Nathan shook his head looking down. "You can do this, Nathan. You and Haley just have to find a way to stick together and make it work."

Haley took a seat at the breakfast table in the kitchen as Karen reached in the cupboard pulling down two mugs and pouring some coffee into each of them before taking them over to where Haley and sitting in the chair across from her. She watched as Haley fed Sophie a small piece of a cookie she was eating. She watched as Sophie's eyes grew real big and giggled as Haley smiled brightly at her. It was then that Haley looked up and caught her gaze.

Haley looked into Karen's eyes and saw the warmth within them. She watched as Karen reached across the table and placed her hand comfortingly on Haley's hand.

"Trust me. You can do this, Haley."

"I don't know if I can. I just got my life together and to this point where my future has started and then this happened. Every trial and tribulation I ever went through, I had Brooke by my side. And now she's gone. And she left behind her baby for me to care for. I love Sophie with all of my heart. I really do. But this is different. I can't do this without Brooke. I can't do this alone." Haley cried.

"You're not alone, Haley. You have Keith and me, and we will be here with you every step of the way. For whatever you need. And you have Nathan. He's in this with you, and I'm sure he's feeling the same way you are right now. You are not alone. And you know there's a reason why Lucas and Brooke left their child to you. They wanted you two to have her and raise her. They trust you guys. They wouldn't have done this if that weren't the case. You know that. You have to believe in yourself. Keith and I have no doubt in our minds about their decision in naming you and Nathan."

Haley took a breath and stared at the little girl sitting in her arms. "I can do this." She muttered before looking up to Karen. "I can do this."

Karen nodded. "You can do this."

**Please let me know what you think in a review! It shouldn't be too much longer for another update. Next chapter dives into full on Naley/Sophie moments which I'm sure you're all excited about and ready for.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Back for an update! Wow! All of the feedback I have been receiving for this story is overwhelming and so deeply appreciated. It makes me feel better knowing people are enjoying this story. Sometimes, I get hard on myself worrying it's not as good as I want it to come out and stuff like that. So thank you again for the all of the reviews and story alerts I'm receiving. And even if you aren't reviewing, I do appreciate you following and hope you continue to enjoy the direction I choose to take this story. I have to admit that this is kind of a filler chapter, and there's not a lot of Naley in it. I apologize for that, but MORE NALEY/SOPHIE is to come. And I'm not too sure about this chapter anyway. I kind of rushed through writing it and didn't give it my best focus. It's so/so, in my opinion. But I hope you guys still enjoy it. :)**

**As always, a special thanks to naleyluv, rosepetal16, illicitencounters, Ellie, Steffsche, chase the memories, lnoir , seaofwords22, othfan48, JamesLover23, Sophiaaaaa, kaya17tj, C, and Samantha (I hope the chapter ended up showing up for you—once I read your review, I erased the chapter and re-added it so I hope it came out okay. Thanks for informing me of that.) for your wonderful reviews. Thank you so much for taking the time to review. I love the feedback!**

**So, has everyone else been watching their One Tree Hill DVD's like I have been? LOL! I'll tell you, between my Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill DVD's my DVD player is probably exhausted. :) In my defense, when you're pregnant and sick and don't have to work, it gets rather boring sitting around the house doing nothing.**

**Anyway, I'm sure you guys don't care about my life. LOL! Enough rambling and onto the reading….**

_August 28, 2011_

The ear piercing sound of an alarm clock echoed in the room as Nathan turned from his back to his stomach and buried his face into the pillow. Letting out a groan, he finally pushed himself from the bed and turned off the irritating sound. Sleepily, he made his way out of the bedroom, through the hallway, down the stairs, and into the kitchen. The house was dark and hard to see where he was going. Add in the fact that he was still half asleep and it was a recipe for disaster. Sure enough, he ended up walking straight into a hard object on the ground and stubbing his toe. "Damn it!"

Haley awoke suddenly to the sound of his loud explicit and shot up in her chair. "What's wrong?" She asked in a panic. She looked up and noticed a figure in the dark holding his left foot and jumping back and forth slightly. She once again heard him mutter a different explicit.

Nathan felt the pain subsiding slightly and found the light switch flicking it on and noticed Haley sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen with some books on the table in front of her. "Did you sleep in here?"

At that reminder, Haley felt how tense and sore the muscles in her neck and back were. Bringing her hands up around her neck, she massaged and rotated it in hopes to alleviate some of the tension. "Yeah. I must have fallen asleep."

"What are you reading?" Nathan asked coming to stand next to her and picked up one of the six books she had laying on the table surface in front of her. "What's Going On In There: How The Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life." He read and proceeded to read the covers of the other five books. "Catching up on your reading, Hales?" He joked.

"Funny." She deadpanned.

"Why are you reading this stuff anyway?"

"Umm, maybe because I've never had a baby before, and I don't really know the first thing about them." She answered.

"You're a nurse." He pointed out.

"And? Just because I'm a nurse doesn't mean I know how to raise a baby." She said incredulously. "What time is it anyway?"

"4:45."

"Are you serious? I am so tired." She complained.

"Really? I feel okay."

"Yeah, well you weren't the one who woke up three times in the middle of the night with Sophie, were you? Nope, that was me." She bit out. She gathered her books together and pushed them towards the center of the table before standing up. "And would it kill you to put on a damn shirt?"

Nathan watched as she scoffed in disgust and moved around him and walked towards the refrigerator. He stayed rooted in his spot and smirked.

It's been seven incredibly long days since he and Haley had taken "temporary" custody of Sophie. While they technically and legally had full custody of her, a judge appointed a social worker for their case to check up on them sporadically. Something Nathan wasn't too keen on. Why should they be watched like a couple of incompetent idiots? To some degree, he understood but at the same time, he didn't. Sophie was Lucas and Brooke's daughter, and they named them. There shouldn't be anything more to it.

He and Haley had agreed that at least for the next month, they would stay in the house. Neither wanted to but decided it would be best for Sophie. Since Lucas and Brooke's passing, Haley had taken some much needed time off of work. And basketball wasn't an issue right now considering he was more in the off-season. All of his work, he's been lucky enough to conduct from Tree Hill so far and shouldn't be a problem for the time being. He did, however, have to fly to Charlotte this morning to finalize one new player contract, but he'd be back the following morning. He had to admit that it was going to be nice to get away for awhile-even for just a day.

Nathan watched as Haley rummaged through the refrigerator in search of what he presumed something to drink. His presumption was correct as she pulled out a carton of orange juice and proceeded to pour herself a glass. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he was openly checking her out. Why should he? She was the one standing there in a short pair of black shorts with a pink tank top showing off her figure. Last time he checked, his eyes still worked.

"What?" She bit out in irritation. "Can you please quit looking at me like that?"

"Am I making you nervous, Hales?" He said huskily while making his way over to her.

"More like annoyed and disgusted."

"I think you like it." He challenged just as he stopped now standing directly in front of her. "Admit it. It's okay if you do. I'm a hot guy. You're a hot girl. We could have some fun together." He taunted placing his hands on her hips slowly pulling her closer into him. Gosh, he loved getting to her. With everything that's been going on, it's been a long time since they've been _normal_ around one another. Her face was all flushed, and he knew she was growing more and more agitated.

Haley laid her palms flat against his chest and gave him a good, hard push away from her. "Didn't I warn you not to touch me?"

Nathan chuckled as he stumbled back. "That's it, baby. Keep fighting it. That just means more sexual tension to work off later, if you know what I mean." He said winking at her.

"You're a pig."

He just smirked in response. "Well, as fun as this is, I have to take a shower. My plane leaves in a couple hours."

"Thank God." She mumbled.

"You know you're going to miss me." He called out as he left the kitchen.

Haley rolled her eyes in annoyance. He was so frustrating. She knew he did it just to rile her up and annoy her, and it worked. And was it so hard to put on a shirt in the mornings? Every morning he came waltzing out either wearing nothing but a pair of pajama pants or his boxers or some basketball shorts. And he always sported his stupid smug smile. Okay, she gets it. Everyone gets it. He's hot with an amazing body. He doesn't need to flaunt it the way he does. _He does have an amazing body. Complete with rock hard abs and a very nice v-shape pelvic…_Haley quickly rid herself of those thoughts and chastised herself for even thinking them. This was Nathan she was talking and thinking about.

She quickly took a gulp of her orange juice when the sound of Sophie crying sounded through the baby monitor. "Right on time." She groaned before setting down her glass and tiredly headed up the stairs.

Nathan stepped out of the shower feeling more awake and refreshed. He dried his body and hair off before dressing in a pair of jeans and pale blue polo he laid out before his shower. He styled his hair quickly and splashed on some cologne before grabbing his suitcase. He was just about to descend onto the first step when he heard Haley's voice coming from Sophie's room. He left his belongings near the staircase before heading down the hall. He arrived in the room as Sophie immediately smiled at the sight of him. "Hey, Soph." He greeted taking the little girl out of Haley's arms. "Are you going to be good while I'm gone? Of course, you are. You're just a perfect little angel."

Her innocent giggles filled the room causing instant smiles to emanate from their lips.

"What time are you going to be home tomorrow?" Haley asked.

"I think my plane leaves at nine in the morning."

"Well, we're going to have to figure out some things for next week, because I'm going back to work on Monday. I mean should we find a babysitter or see what Keith and Karen have scheduled?"

"Why? I'm going to be home." He pointed out confused.

"Are you sure you can watch her? It's not like you've done much except for playing with her. It's been me who's doing all of the work." She reminded him.

"And it's been you who's allowed that." He countered smugly.

"Yeah, well, I'm tired and not in the mood to argue with you. Besides, you'll just do everything wrong anyway so I might as well just do everything myself."

Nathan laughed. She was so dramatic about everything. If anything, it was her fault that he barely contributed. She was the one who was so spastic about everything and pretty much chastised him when he tried to help. Bitch-mode was once again in effect. He swore the girl was PMSing every day of the year. He had no idea how they were going to survive living together. It has only been seven days, and they were already driving each other insane. "Quit your bit…complaining." He corrected realizing Sophie was still in his arms.

Haley glared at him. "Whatever. So you're okay to watch her then?"

"Yes, Haley, I am okay to watch her. I'm not an idiot." He retorted and heard her mumble 'that's debatable' but ignored her comment turning his attention back to the little girl. "She's crazy, Soph. CRAZY!" He whispered.

"Are you in a hurry? Would you care if I went and took a shower real quick?"

"Just as long as you hurry. I know how you women seem to take your sweet time." He said before turning to look at her with a smirk. "Then again, it's you, and I'm sure you'll only need a couple minutes considering…" He added looking her up and down.

"God, you're such an as…" She stopped herself and simply turned around.

"Ooh, be careful there, Haley." He taunted.

"Bite me." She bit out and continued to walk out of the room.

"Gladly." He chuckled.

* * *

><p>"A baby?"<p>

"Yup." Nathan answered.

"A baby? Like a little live talking human?"

"Well, not talking yet but yup." Nathan repeated.

"Dude. That's…"

"I know." Nathan said. "I don't know, man. What the hell were they thinking?"

"So, what exactly does this mean? I mean, are you moving to Tree Hill permanently or are you bringing the baby back here with you?" Clay asked.

Clay Evans has been Nathan's agent for the past four years-pretty much since Nathan graduated from Duke University and was drafted into the NBA. After Nathan blew out his knee two years ago, Clay still kept him as a "client" so to speak. He acted more like a scouting agent for the team-travelling and looking for new potential players.

"Honestly, I don't know. We agreed to at least stay in Tree Hill for the next month, but after that, I have no idea. Once the season starts, it's going to be almost impossible to stay in Tree Hill. That's way too much traveling for me." Nathan answered.

"Then just come back here. You have an extra bedroom. You have like three extra bedrooms."

"It's not that simple." Nathan said.

"Why not?" Clay asked confused.

"Well, I don't think moving is something Haley would be too keen on."

"Right. Haley. I forgot about her. Is she hot?" Clay asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Nathan questioned.

"Nothing really. Just wondering. You forget I've never met the girl nor have I ever seen a picture of her. I'm guessing she's hot, though. Any friend of Brooke's-yeah, she's hot, right?"

"Clay." Nathan said in annoyance.

"It's a simple question, Nate. Is she hot?"

"Fine, yes, she's hot. Are you happy now?" Nathan asked rhetorically.

"I will be when I meet her in person."

Nathan rolled his eyes. If Haley thought he was a man whore, then she's never met Clay. He was ten times worse than he was and definitely didn't hide the fact. In fact, he was proud of it. And if Nathan had it his way, he would rather keep Haley away from his friend. "Can we forget about that? I think we have more pressing matters at hand."

"True." Clay agreed. "Like have you hit it yet?"

"Clay."

"It's a fair question, man. You guys have been living together for a week and if the girl's hot and knowing you, then I'm guessing you have." Clay stated.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no. I haven't 'hit it' yet. And I'm not interested in her. She's nothing but a bitch. I swear, one of these days, I'm not going to control myself with her. If she were a guy, I would have decked her by now."

"Damn, Nate. Tell me how you really feel." Clay joked.

"Look, can we just not talk about that? I've got enough going on in my mind right now, and I don't need to be thinking about _that_."

"Fair enough. Look, maybe she would be willing to move up here." Clay suggested.

"You clearly don't know Haley." Nathan said. He knew there was nothing in the world that could convince Haley to leave her job or even Tree Hill in general just to move somewhere which benefitted him. How did he know this? Because if the situation was reverse, he wouldn't do it for her. "The good news is that I've got a month to think about it." Nathan added.

"Well, for the first time, I can say that I do not envy you." Clay said before the two busied themselves with the work ahead of them. It was four hours later when they when they finally decided to take a break and order in some Chinese for lunch. "Nate, I never told you how sorry I am for what happened." Clay said.

"Thanks."

"How are you holding up?"

"I don't know." Nathan said with a sigh. "It's weird, and it almost feels like it hasn't completely sunk in yet. I find myself reaching for my phone to text him and suddenly realize…"

Clay watched his friend and remained silent. He knew Nathan was still taking things pretty hard and hadn't really dealt with it all. He noticed it in his appearance which was more disheveled than normal. He still had dark bags under his eyes indicating his exhaustion due to lack of sleep. His complexion was paler than usual as well.

Nathan wasn't one to really open up and talk about his feelings. They've been business associates and friends for just over four years now, and he felt like he still didn't really "know" Nathan. It was never an issue between the two of them, because he also had some skeletons so to speak hidden in his closet as well. He understood the need and want to keep things to himself. And they were friends. Close friends at that even. They worked together. They went out to bars and clubs together. So it wasn't really a big deal that they never truly confided in one another. And Clay had a feeling that Lucas was the only one Nathan did in fact confide in. Since he lost him, Clay had to admit that he was worried for his friend.

"Everything happened so fast. I mean, one second I'm on my motorcycle driving to Tree Hill for the weekend. I stopped at a rest stop to grab a quick drink and snack and received the call. After that it was kind of a blur. I didn't really have a thought in my mind except driving as fast as I could to get to the hospital. And then the next thing I knew, I was holding Haley in my arms. And now, I'm raising his kid." Nathan continued.

"Nate, are you sure about this whole baby thing? I'm not trying to convince you not to do it, but it's a baby. I feel like you and I are pretty similar in terms of our personalities, and I know I could never do what you're doing. I know you love that little girl, but this is going to completely change your life." Clay said gently.

"You just don't get it. At this point, it's not really about me and my life. It's about my family. It's about Sophie. I can't turn my back on her or Lucas. Not now. I'm not naïve enough to think my life is going to return to normal, but I also know that I can't simply brush this aside. I can't. In a way, I feel like I owe it to my brother and my niece. And I feel like I owe it to Haley as well."

Clay looked at him confused with that last statement.

"I know Haley. And I know there's no way she would have not taken Sophie. When I say that Haley and Brooke were close, I'm not just saying it. They were like inseparable and closer than any other two people I had ever known. She would feel like I do in terms of letting Brooke down and turning her back on her. I don't think it would be fair of me to just forget about it and move on while she was fulfilling the one wish Lucas and Brooke had for us. They named the both of us. And whether we like it or not, we're stuck in this together." Nathan explained.

* * *

><p>Haley had just finished up five loads of laundry. She surveyed the dining room table which was completely covered in piles of clothes. There were a couple piles of Nathan's clothes. A couple piles of her own clothes. A couple piles of towels of various sizes. And finally, there were about four piles of Sophie's clothes. "Who knew babies had so many clothes?" She asked rhetorically out loud.<p>

She glanced at the clock where it read twenty minutes after six. Sophie had fallen asleep close to an hour ago, and Haley had no idea how long with would last. Sophie's sleep patterns were so irregular leaving no guessing room as to when she would awaken. This past week, Haley had developed a new respect for stay at home moms. Between taking care of Sophie, the never-ending laundry, the dishes, cooking, and just in general cleaning the house, Haley was exhausted. She could almost safely say that this time was worse than when she was taking care of her mom and working two jobs. At least during that time, she was able to get a minimum of four hours of sleep in. She was quickly learning now, though, to sleep when Sophie slept which was difficult considering the housework or sometimes being too wired to sleep.

She also hated being here. She hated living in _their_ house. Everything was a constant reminder and memory of them. The furniture, the pictures, the smell…everything. She felt like she could break down at any moment. She knew she had to stay strong for Sophie, but it was really hard sometimes. Everyone kept telling her it would get easier with time. But what did they know? And if that is indeed true, then how much time were they talking? A day? A week? A month? A year? It would be so much easier if she knew when she was going to "get over" losing her best friend one day and the next day raising a baby.

She has also been feeling kind of guilty. _Kind of_. She knew she's been a little bitchier than normal towards Nathan. She would never admit that to his face, but she could admit it to herself. Maybe that would help ease some of the guilt. Considering their history, it was just so easy to take out her frustrations on him. Not to mention, the living together made it even easier and unavoidable. She was tired and still dealing with the emotions, and she constantly felt on edge. The only thing keeping her from apologizing to him was the fact that he never took her crap. He dished it out right back at her. And in a way, she was glad for that. The alternative would be apologizing, and she'd rather never have to apologize to Nathan Scott.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. She tiredly made her way towards the door and swung it open.

"Hey, Foxy."

"Hey, Peyton. Not that I mind, but what are you doing here?" Haley asked.

"I just thought you could use some company. Jake told me that Nathan's gone for the night…"

"Well, he's not exactly good company even if he was here." Haley quickly interjected.

"There's the Haley James I know and love." Peyton joked and felt mildly satisfied as her brunette friend actually let out a small laugh. She couldn't remember the last time she saw a smile on her face. She held up her two hands. "I brought ice cream and The Hangover. I figured you could enjoy a good comedy right now."

"You didn't have to do that, Peyton."

"But I wanted to. Besides, I could use some time away from Jake and Jenny." The blonde stated.

"Leave one child in one household just to come to a different one in another household." Haley teased.

Peyton shrugged her shoulders. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for the little ones."

Haley stepped aside allowing for Peyton to come inside. "Sophie's asleep right now, and I really have no idea when she's going to wake up. Hopefully, not too soon, though." Haley said as the two girls grabbed a couple spoons, popped in the DVD, and made themselves comfortable on the couch.

"I remember those days." Peyton stated. "I don't know if this is any conciliation for you, but Sophie wise, I kind of know what you're going through. When Jake and I started dating, Jenny was just a baby. Well, you remember." Peyton said as Haley nodded. "It was quite the transition since our relationship basically consisted around her. It took a lot of time to get comfortable with and get the hang of 'having a baby'. I'm not going to feed you that 'it gets better with time' crap. I mean, it's definitely true, but I also know it won't do you any good to hear it right now. Besides, this whole situation is so much more than just having a baby. And since there really aren't any right words for me to say to you right now, I'm going to simply say this. I'm here for you. No matter what you need, day or night, I'm here for you. Nathan, too. And everyone else is, as well."

"Thank you, Peyton. And honestly, those are the only words I can handle hearing right now." Haley said with nothing but gratitude.

It was an hour into the movie when Haley glanced at the clock. She couldn't believe Sophie has been sleeping for two hours. Not that she was complaining whatsoever, but she was waiting for her peacefulness to suddenly evaporate. Her phone vibrated alerting her of a new text message. Nathan.

_How's Sophie?_

"_She's fine. Sleeping."_

And that was all. He never responded back with a "goodbye" or "have a nice night" or "see you tomorrow" or even a simple "okay". She wasn't so surprised, though. This was Nathan she was dealing with.

* * *

><p>Nathan walked into the house and set his suitcase down on ground before walking through the foyer. He noticed how strangely quiet the house sounded. "Haley!" He called out while checking the front rooms and finding nobody there. He headed up the stairs assuming they were in one of the bedrooms but once again found no one there.<p>

He headed back downstairs and into the kitchen grabbing a bottle water out of the refrigerator before heading into the living room. It was then that he saw Haley passed out with her body sprawled out along the length of the couch. A slight panic grew within him as to where Sophie may be and crouched down so he was eye level with her. "Haley." He whispered but nothing came. "Haley." He repeated more forcefully.

The next thing he knew, her fist collided with his face causing him to stumble back falling flat on the floor.

Haley jumped unexpectantly when hearing her name being called. She sprung up from the couch as her focus shifted to her right hand which she felt a mild pain in. "Ow! What the…" She turned and saw Nathan sprawled out on the floor holding his eye. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fantastic." He bit out sarcastically.

"I'm sorry. You startled me, and I…it was just a reaction." She apologized climbing off of the couch and heading down to him. "Here, let me…"

Nathan pushed her hand away from him. "I think you've done enough."

"Just let me see it, Nathan."

"No, it hurts." He complained.

"Oh my gosh, you are such a baby. Who knew Nathan Scott could be such a pansy?" She baited.

"Fine." He huffed and removed his hand.

Haley tried to stifle her laughs but couldn't. There was a small scratch right at the corner of his eye and the area surrounding it was all red.

"I'm glad you find this amusing."

"I'm sorry, but this is funny." She defended and watched as he pushed her away from him and hastily stood up from the floor heading into the bathroom near the utility room. She was hot on his heels, though. She continued to watch him as he ran a wash cloth under some water before holding it against his injured eye. "What exactly do you think that's going to do?"

Nathan glared at her through the mirror before focusing back on his eye. He saw her leave out of the corner of his eye. It was just a couple minutes later when she returned.

"Turn around." She ordered.

He begrudgingly obeyed and watched as she placed a zip-lock bag of ice gently against his injury causing him to wince slightly at the first contact. The cold did make his eye feel a little better. "Thanks." He mumbled as she nodded. "Even though it's your fault." He added.

Haley rolled her eyes. "Next time, don't startle me." She countered in a playful voice.

"Next time don't fall asleep on the couch." He joked and smiled as she chuckled. "So, where's Sophie?" He asked remembering everything prior.

"Peyton and Jake offered to babysit. Jenny has been asking about her and wanted to play with her for a bit." She answered with a content sigh which Nathan definitely caught.

"Happy about that?" He questioned as more of a statement.

"Yes and no. I mean, I miss her like crazy, but I'm so tired."

"And bitchier than normal." He mumbled under his breath and let out a painful wince when he felt her push the ice further against his eyes in retaliation. "See what I mean." He pointed out.

An apology was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't force herself to actually say those two simple words. She would not give him the satisfaction. "Did you get all of your work taken care of?" She asked changing the subject.

"Yup. I'm all yours for the next month." He said. He took a discrete glimpse of what she was wearing-a short pair of denim shorts and a yellow ribbed tank top layered over a white ribbed tank top. Her hair was thrown up in a messy bun. A smirk formed from his lips as he placed his hands on her waist. "Have I told you how hot you look today?" He asked huskily. "Because you do."

"Is there a reason why you act the way you do?" She questioned with an agitated sigh.

"Not in particular. Mostly I just like to rile you up."

"Whatever. It's not working." She lied.

"Oh, I think it is." He challenged. _Two could play this game._

"No, it's not. I think you're losing your touch, Nate."

"Really?" He questioned as she nodded. Smirking even more, he added more pressure to her waist and brought her in closer so she was flush up against his chest. He heard her gasp in surprise and what he hoped and guessed were _other_ reasons. Leaning in until he was hovering outside of her ear, he whispered huskily, "What were you saying?"

Haley shivered at the feel of his hot breath against her ear. She inhaled a sharp, inaudible breath and closed her eyes. But just as quickly as that happened, she snapped them back open and shoved him hard on his chest. "Get away from me!" She warned and pushed herself further out of his embrace as he started laughing. "Why do you have to be so damn frustrating?" She exclaimed walking out of the bathroom.

"It's a gift." He laughed as she flipped him off. "You know you want me, Haley James." He called out.

**Let me know what you think! I hope to have another update up soon. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Back with an update! So, first off, I know you guys are all itching for Naley to start opening up with one another (I am, too), but it's going to take _some_ time. I don't feel like it would be too realistic if they just jumped right into confiding with one another considering their previous relationship. But it is getting to that point—just please bear with a few obstacles along the way. It's going to be a slower transition, but I'm hoping I'll make it worth the wait for you guys. And I kind of stole a line Nathan used on the show in season 8. I'm sure you guys will pick up on it within the story. :)**

**Thanks again for all of the story alerts I have been receiving for this story. And as always a big thanks to toughgirl13, Ellie, rosepetal16, othfan48, Steffsche, chase the memories, solo 73, J. Caroline, and Kaya17tj for your reviews and kind words from the previous chapter. And thanks to antsB for your review of chapter one and HBJHOTH23 for your reviews of chapters one and two. It's so nice to hear what you guys are thinking and feeling with this story. :)**

**Well, that's all for now. Enough talking and onto the reading….**

"Are you ready for this, Soph?" Nathan said as he finished stirring the apple and cinnamon oatmeal. He turned from the faucet and headed towards the table where Sophie was sitting in her highchair watching and smiling at him with a look of complete amusement. He took a seat on the adjacent chair and placed the bowl on the table surface. "I have a feeling you are going to love this. It was always my favorite when I was little." He informed the child scooping some of the oatmeal up in her spoon before feeding it to her. He watched as her eyes lit up, and she waved her hands up and down at her sides. "That's my girl!" He cheered as he continued to feed her.

It was five minutes later when Haley walked into the kitchen capturing Nathan's attention. She whispered a quit 'good morning' while heading over to the coffee pot and pulling out the coffee grains in a nearby drawer. He couldn't help but look her over. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and she had on a pair of pale yellow scrubs. He didn't know why, but he loved looking at her dressed in scrubs. It was proving to be the quite the turn on. It was when Sophie slapped her hand against her highchair table that snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to the girl and fed her another bite. "So, Sophie here had her first taste of oatmeal, Hales. She loved it, didn't you? And she said I couldn't do this on my own." He joked winking at the little girl.

He turned towards Haley who was still standing in front of the coffee pot. He waited for some-any-kind of scathing comment but none came. She simply nodded without looking at him. He continued to watch her as she opened the door to the cupboard and tried reaching for her bright pink travel mug which proved difficult since she couldn't reach it even standing on her tip toes. He placed the bowl of oatmeal in front of Sophie and handed her the spoon as she attempted to feed herself. He walked over to the cupboard and grabbed the mug for her. "Here you go."

"Thanks." She mumbled quietly without looking at him.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She said unconvincingly.

"Okay, something's up with you." He said placing his hands on her shoulders and gently turning her towards him so they were standing face to face. "What's wrong? Talk to me, Hales."

Haley heard the sincerity in his voice which surprised her slightly and she found herself wanting to talk to him. She knew out of everyone, he would actually understand where she's coming from. "I have to go back to work."

"I thought you were excited to go back to work." He stated confused.

"I was...I am. It's just..." She began but paused. He gave her a looking urging her to continue. "The last time I was in that hospital was when Brooke and Lucas died. As much as I try, I can't get that day out of my head. I was so ready and happy to be going back to work and last night, it hit me. That is where Brooke died. How am I supposed to go there, and how am I supposed to work knowing that's the place where my best friend died?"

A tear strolled down her cheek and Nathan reached up and wiped it away with his thumb as the rest of his palm gently cupped her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I'm being stupid." Haley said quickly and backed away from him.

Nathan was quick to stop her, though, and pulled her back in front of him. "Hales, you're not being stupid. I think what you're saying and feeling is completely normal. Nobody expects you to be over everything and not think about it and not feel it every day. I still do, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. And it sucks that you have to go back to that place holding those memories and feelings, but it's part of life. Maybe this is what you need to help you cope better. Being in that hospital might actually be more beneficial than negative. Probably not at first but with time." He said brushing away another fallen tear. "But then again, maybe you aren't ready to go back. And that's okay. You don't ha..."

"No." She interrupted. "I have to go back. I have to face this. I mean, what am I going to do? Avoid the hospital and work forever?" She smiled softly at him which he returned. "Why can't you always be like this?" She asked with genuine interest after a couple of silent minutes passed between them.

He shrugged his shoulders and cocked his head to the right. "Where's the fun in that?" He asked rhetorically as she let out a chuckle causing him to do the same. And because he couldn't help himself, he added, "You look extremely hot, by the way. Scrubs are definitely your look."

"And he's back." Haley said shaking her head and turning back towards the counter and poured some of the freshly made coffee into her mug and closed the lid. "Well, I'm off to work." She announced as the both of them walked over to where Sophie was sitting. They laughed as they took in the sight. The little girl was covered in oatmeal-her face, her hands, her clothing. And it was also smeared on the surface of the highchair table. Haley turned towards Nathan with a smirk. "Have fun cleaning that." She said and leaned down to be eye level with the little girl. "Give me an oatmeal kiss, sweetie. I've got to go to work." And Sophie did just that. Haley offered a goodbye towards Nathan while grabbing her keys and purse before leaving the kitchen and walking out of the house.

Nathan looked at Sophie who smiled so innocently up at him. "Well, it's just you and me, kid. First things first, it's bath time." He said taking her out of the highchair and carrying her up the stairs and into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Haley handed the file she was holding to the receptionist before focusing on the second one which was in her hands. She read through the papers charting along the way as she leaned up against the desk.<p>

It was seven hours into her twelve hour shift. Once returning back to work, she changed her hours to twelve hour shifts three days a week. With Nathan at home and being able to work from the house, her schedule was pretty flexible for the time being. She still wanted to have some days off, though, to spend with Sophie. She loved being back at work considering before everything, being a nurse was all she wanted. But she loved Sophie and while she was still adjusting to being her guardian, it somehow felt right. The past weeks she's spent with the little girl caused her priorities to change.  
>She wasn't just taking care of herself anymore, but she was taking care of a child.<p>

She often wondered what was going to come about in the next months. She and Nathan hadn't really talked things over with the exception of agreeing to stay in Lucas and Brooke's house for the next month. In a way, they were just going through the motions right now. Eventually, they had to actually sit down and talk about what they were going to do. Nathan lived in Charlotte and worked from Charlotte. Was he moving back? Was he moving here? Was he going to travel? The questions were overwhelming for her and for the time being, she didn't want to have to think about it. She was quite content with putting it off until the last possible moment.

When she first arrived at the hospital, it took her a few minutes before she could actually walk through those revolving doors and into the building. She almost felt like she couldn't breathe and more times than one, she contemplated turning around and leaving. She wasn't ready for this. But just as she was about to turn around that final time, Nathan's words sounded in her ears. And suddenly, she felt comforted and felt like she received that final push to walk across the threshold. And while it was still difficult, little by little, it became "easier".

Just as Haley finished charting her file, a familiar voice sounded causing her to look up with hesitation. She acknowledged Julian's greeting with a small, timid smile. She hadn't talked to or seen Julian since the night of the accident. She felt bad for never returning his phone calls. She really had the best intentions to do so but after the Sophie situation, she placed it to the back of her mind. She felt guilty, but at the same time, she had more pressing matters to worry about. And in all honesty, she hasn't really given much thought to Julian since. She didn't even conjure up the possibility and probability that she would see him today or sometime this week. But now, in this moment, she felt nervous and guilty. "Hi, Julian." She greeted quietly.

It wasn't long before he was standing directly in front of her. There was definitely an awkwardness surrounding them, and they both felt it. Julian timidly leaned in and wrapped his arms around her in an uncomfortable hug before breaking away and returning back to where he previously stood. That was a much safer, comfortable position. "I'm really sorry about your friends."

"Thanks." She replied while adverting eye contact with him.

"I, umm...I tried to contact you a few times."

"Yeah, about that...I'm really sorry, Julian. I just needed some time and then things got so crazy." Haley began as she was shaking her head. She felt like the biggest jerk right now. "It meant a lot to me that you called, and I just want you to know that I never meant to ignore you. I was just..."

"Haley, it's okay." He jumped in. "I get it. I really do. Don't worry about it." He reassured her. She nodded apprehensively at him. "So, how have you been?"

"Oh, the million dollar question. Between losing my best friend and becoming a mom over night, things are great." She answered with mild sarcasm. She caught the look of complete surprise cross over his features and realized she had to explain. "I was Sophie's Godmother and along with that, Brooke named me her guardian in the case of something happening to them. Something I was never aware of. My best friend conveniently left that minor detail out." She said with a slight chuckle. "So, here I am. Raising a kid. Surprise."

"Wow. That's, umm...that's something." Julian replied still shocked.

"Yup, it's really something." She agreed.

"I'm sorry, Haley. I can't even imagine what you're going through right now. So, you're raising this little girl by yourself?"

"Well, not exactly. Of course, I have other family and friends who have been amazing throughout this whole situation. But there's also Nathan." She began.

"Nathan?"

"Nathan Scott. He is Lucas' brother. Well, half-brother. He's Sophie's Godfather, and they also named him her guardian as well. So, we're kind of raising her together." She explained.

"So, are you two like...together?"

"No! Gosh, no. No. No. No. No. We are definitely not together. I mean, we're living together in the same house. And we're raising Sophie together. But we are not together. Not like that. Not in the romantic sense. No way. No, no, n..."

"I get it, Haley. You guys aren't together." He interrupted with a laugh.

"Sorry." She responded sheepishly as she felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"It's no problem. I have to admit that I'm a little relieved at hearing that." He admitted catching her off-guard and making her cheeks turn even a darker shade of red. "Since it's established that you're still single, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to catch up on that dinner we never got to have." He asked timidly.

"Oh." Haley replied lamely. "Julian, things in my life have become so complicated. I'm still trying to deal with losing Lucas and Brooke and now taking care of Sophie...things are just so crazy right now, and I really don't think I could handle anything more at this point. And if we were to go out on a date or start dating, I don't want to have my focus split. That wouldn't be fair to you. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay." He replied. He understood her reasoning completely, but it still hurt to basically be rejected like that. "I get it, the timing isn't right."

"Yeah. I'm sorry." She apologized.

"Don't be sorry, Haley." He stated as the awkwardness appeared once again. "Well, I should probably get back to work." He said turning to walk in the opposite direction.

"Julian." She called out causing him to stop and turn back towards her. "I really like you, and before everything, I was really excited about our date." She said shyly causing him to smile slightly. "Maybe, if you haven't found anyone else and you're still interested, you could give me some time and ask me again later. I know I'd say yes."

Julian smiled boisterously at her. He didn't say anything in response. He simply nodded and turned back around walking away from her.

Haley watched him walk away and smiled.

* * *

><p>Nathan was sprawled out along the carpet in the living room watching as Sophie played with her toys. She was full of so much energy, and he only imagined what it was like to be so full of life like that once again. These days, he felt as if he was pushing fifty. He felt exhausted, and his body ached. He needed a good workout. He couldn't remember the last time he went for a run or lifted some weights. He was so out of shape, and he felt it, too. He made a commitment to himself that was going to start working out once again. Working out was also a stress reliever for him, and he was due for a little stress relief these days.<p>

He noticed Sophie crawling her way over to him, and he instantly smiled. He scooped her up in his arms and rolled over onto his back while thrusting her up and down into the air above him as she giggled almost uncontrollably. After several rounds of that, he moved up until he was in a sitting position and placed her on the carpet in front of him. She was standing but still needed to hold onto him since her balance wasn't exactly up to par and obviously couldn't walk yet either.

"Man, between your mommy's good looks and your daddy's...no, just your mommy's good looks, you are going to be quite the heartbreaker. You are definitely the most beautiful girl in the world, aren't you?" He began as she smiled at him. "But don't get started on that heartbreaking stuff quite yet because there are no boys allowed until you are at least thirty. Maybe forty. We'll discuss it with Haley later."

He couldn't help but stare at the little girl. She looked so much like Brooke with her dark hair and her beautiful brown eyes glistening. She even sported the same dimples which was one of his sister-in-law's best features. She smiled, and her whole face illuminated.

"I know you're still young, but you miss your parents, don't you?" He asked rhetorically knowing she wasn't going to answer but still wanted to say out loud. "They loved you so much, Soph. You weren't expected. You were definitely a surprise baby, but you were their whole world. They wouldn't have traded you for anything. And you know what, neither would Haley and I. You may be too young now, but I really hope as you grow older, we can explain everything to you in a way which won't break your heart."

Sophie placed her hand up against his mouth as he laughed and playfully bit it at it.

"I guess we'll take things one day at a time. I know Haley and I will never replace your mom and dad, and we don't want to at all, but we hope we can be good enough substitutes. We don't exactly know what we're doing here, Soph, so if you can just bear with us and give us some time, we promise to be the best parents we can be for you. We're not doing so badly, are we?" He questioned not exactly expecting an answer.

The little girl crawled into his lap and cuddled into him. Nathan couldn't help but smile. "I guess that's my answer." He said out loud and picked her up as she rested her head against his shoulders. He reached for a pillow and placed it on the carpet behind him. He lay back against the floor with his head on the pillow bringing the girl with him as she still rested comfortably on his shoulder. He laid there gently stroking her back as she drifted off into a deep slumber. Sleep didn't come for him, though. He was perfectly fine just laying there holding her.

He was still grasping that this was his life now. Sophie was his-and Haley's-now. He was essentially a dad, and he was going to be raising her. He was going to be watching her grow into a beautiful young woman. Of course, he would have been in her life no matter what, but this was different. And as horrible as the circumstances were, he found himself happy. He had no idea what was going to happen, and he still wasn't quite sure he could do this, but he was slowly accepting this new life. And he was finding himself happier with each passing day. Sophie made things easier day by day.

* * *

><p>Haley came home exhausted but strangely felt good. She had to admit that she was glad to be back at work. With so much uncertainty surrounding her, it was nice to do something that wasn't so foreign to her. Sure anything can happen in the medical field, and death and illness surrounding her all day within the walls of the hospital. But she knew her job, and she did her job well. And nursing felt like an escape-a good escape from her current reality.<p>

Dropping her purse onto the floor in the foyer, she slipped her tennis shoes off and headed through the hallway. She heard the faint sound of the television on and followed the sounds into the living room where Nathan was sitting on the couch. She walked around crossing in front of him before plopping herself vertically along the couch with her feet stopping right at Nathan's thighs.

"Long day?" He questioned.

"You have no idea."

"So, how was your first day back?" He asked.

"Good."

"Good? That's all of the response I get."

"It was really good." She said smiling at him as he nodded in understanding. "How was your first day alone with Sophie?" She asked.

"Sophie and I had a blast. That girl is quite a handful, though. I swear, I thought running up and down the length of a basketball court was tiring. Man! But we had a great time together." He answered.

"Good. I'm glad you were able to handle her." She responded.

"I told you there was nothing to worry about." He commented.

Haley took the time to survey the living room. Toys were scattered all along the carpet. There were a couple of empty bottles sitting on the coffee table along with a plate, a bowl, and a couple of empty glasses. Not to mention the one can of Pepsi which was sitting there as well. A few items of clothing covered small areas along the carpet along with the clothes. "Well, I can see that you didn't get anything else done today." She said with a scoff.

"Hey, Sophie took up a lot of my time, okay. I barely had time to think for myself so cleaning was out of the question." He defended himself.

"And what about after you put her to bed? You didn't think to straighten up then?" She countered.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to take a couple minutes to myself which is what I'm doing now by the way." He retorted.

"And how long have you been taking a couple minutes to yourself?"

"Doesn't matter." He dismissed as she laughed at his response. She was way too tired to argue with him. She would clean things in the morning or maybe later the next night. She didn't want to think about that right now. Instead she laid there contently relishing in the peacefulness while Nathan continued to watch whatever sports game was currently on television.

She observed his features as he watched the game. It was football. That much she was able to distinguish. Watching him was pretty amusing, though. The way his face contorted and he made fists out of his hands. He would occasionally curse under his breath towards the television or do these celebratory fist thrusts into the air. It was all rather amusing. It was just a game. She failed to see what the big deal was. She moved her feet and came into contact with his legs. An idea popped in her head, and she smiled. "Nathan."

"Huh?" He asked distractedly.

"You know, my feet are really sore. I've been on them all day."

"And?" He questioned without taking his eyes off of the television not getting what she was going on about.

She lifted her feet and placed them on his lap.

Nathan felt something land in his lap and looked down to see Haley's feet sprawled out along the tops of his thighs. He turned his head and caught her gaze. She smiled mischievously at him, and he realized what she was asking him. "No."

"Please, Nathan. They really hurt."

"No." He repeated with a firm voice.

"Please." She pleaded sticking out her bottom lip for overall effect.

Nathan made the mistake of looking at her and couldn't help but cave. How could he not with her face looking like that? He was a total goner. "Fine."

"Yah! Thank you so muc..."

"Yeah, yeah." He interrupted. "This is a onetime deal, you got it."

"Oh, yes." She said with mock agreement.

Nathan pulled off the socks which were enclosed around her feet and tossed them to the side of the couch. He caught the look of annoyance from Haley and simply laughed and brushed it off. He noticed the bright red nail polish on her toes as he wrapped his hands around her right foot. Her feet were so dainty yet soft and warm. He gently began to massage the skin and heard her let out a soft sigh. He smiled as he turned his attention back towards the game.

Minutes passed and the game had finally ended with the team Nathan was rooting for winning. Now there were just some other sports recaps going on. He leaned his head back against the couch closing his tired eyes while applying a bit more pressure to the foot he was currently massaging. He actually felt really relaxed and as if he could fall asleep. However, the sound of Haley moaning lightly had his eyes shooting open. _God, did she just moan?_ He looked over towards her.

"Mmm, that feels so good, Nathan."

God, she just did it again. He so did not need this right now. He felt his pants tightening causing him to shift his position on the couch slightly in an effort to alleviate some of his discomfort. He hadn't heard a sound like that in so long. At that thought, he tried to remember the last time he had even had any sex. He honestly couldn't remember which told him it's been long enough. Haley's moaning wasn't helping at all. It was making it so much worse. Not to mention, she was still wearing those damn scrubs of hers. It's almost as if she knew she was torturing him and was taking great pleasure in it. Yeah, he could see her definitely doing something like that. _Bitch_.

"Mmm."

_Okay, that is enough._ "I'm done, Hales." He announced giving her foot one final squeeze before stretching his arms up above his head.

"No! Nathan!" She protested.

"I'm tired." He excused.

"You suck."

"Well, not right now, but if you really want me to I ca..."

"God, you're disgusting!" She exclaimed kicking his leg while turning over onto her side and bending her legs so they were once again on the couch and off of Nathan. She placed her hands together and brought them up against the pillow and rested the side of her face against them.

"One of these days, Hales, you aren't going to resist me." He teased as she rolled her eyes. He laughed good-naturedly. He reached for the throw that was draped along the couch before placing it over the length of her body.

"Thank you." She mumbled tiredly.

"You're welcome."

"Oh, Peyton called me. She and Jake are having a bunch of people over this Saturday. They wanted to have a pool party of sorts for an 'end of the summer' celebration. Kids are welcome as well. I told her we would be there. I mean, unless you have other plans or anything." She said.

"Nope. No plans for me. It sounds like fun actually. I think we could both use a good party." He responded and looked over. Her eyes were closed, and he could tell she was falling asleep. "Hales, maybe you should go to bed."

"I'm too tired to move. There's no way I could make it up those stairs. You could always carry me." She said with her eyes still closed but a small smiled etched on her face.

"Yeah cause that's going to happen. Besides I don't know if I can make it up the stairs myself." He chuckled letting his head fall back against the couch one again closing his eyes.

The two laid there quietly-peacefully-and let their exhaustion win over as they both fell asleep.

**I know there wasn't a lot of Nathan/Sophie or anything, but I promise you there's going to be more. More Naley, more Naley/Sophie, more Haley/Sophie, more Nathan/Sophie. So like I said before, please just bear with me as I get us to that point. Thanks again for following this story. Please let me know what you think, and I'll try to have another update for you guys soon.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Back with an update! I am so sorry for the wait. I swear I had every intention of putting this up sooner, but life got in the way. But this chapter is longer than any of the others have been so I hope you can accept the long wait for that reason. :) **

**Thanks again for all of the story alerts I'm receiving for this story. And as always a special thanks to rosepetal16, Sophiaaaaa, Steffsche, chase the memories, Ellie, toughgirl13, Tutourgirl23, Othfan48, naleyluv, and kutebloo for your reviews for the previous chapter. And thanks to HBJHOTH23 for your reviews of chapters 3-7. They are all much appreciated and keep me motivated.**

**So, if any of you have watched the **_**An Evening with One Tree Hill**_** featurette on the season 9 DVDs then you'll probably noticed I stole something Antwon Tanner said he, Chad, and James did. I found it hilarious (as did Bethany Joy with her adorable laugh) so I wanted to use it. :)**

**So not too much to say so let's just get into the reading.**

_September 7, 2011_

Loud voices engaged in animated conversations surrounded the backyard. The food was being devoured and the beer and other drinks were flowing. Splashes and laughter caused by the children could be heard from the pool. The sun was shining brightly down on all of the guests.

Haley took a silent gulp of her diet Pepsi as she surveyed the party goers. The whole afternoon has been relaxing and just what she needed. Her eyes caught site of Keith and Karen who were chatting with Larry. She was happy to see him back home again. She knew how much Peyton missed her dad while he was away on his business trips. Of course, it was harder back in high school considering but even now, being married and raising a child, it was still hard on her. Haley certainly noticed how much livelier Peyton seemed during times like this. And she was happy her friend was so happy.

She heard a few giggles approaching her, and she looked up just in time to see Peyton, Rachel, and Millie plopping down at the table. "What's so funny?" She questioned.

"Oh, boys being boys. Skills, Mouth, Junk, and Fergie are currently engaging in a water balloon fight with Jenny and all of her friends. I swear they are all a bunch of kids at heart." Millie answered.

"Did I ever tell you guys what I found them doing just last year which Jake and Lucas were also included in?" Peyton asked as the other three girls shook their heads urging her to continue. "So, I pull up in the driveway and noticed all of the guys standing on the lawn. As I approached closer to them, I noticed Mouth was duck taped to a chair with wheels while they were drawing things on the tape around his chest. So naturally, I asked them what the heck they were doing. They told me to watch and see. So, I waited and then watched as they pushed Mouth down the road as he smacked right dab into a pile of trash cans set up. I was so embarrassed to even know them let alone be seen with them. I called them immature idiots while booking it into the house hoping nobody witnessed me associating with them."

The four of them started busting out laughing.

"You think that's bad. You guys apparently haven't heard about the Hurricane Isabel story, have you?" Haley questioned.

"Apparently not. Do tell." Rachel urged as Peyton and Millie agreed and waited with interest.

"Well, we were all hanging out in the cafe due to the hurricane and there really wasn't anywhere we could go and…"

"Wait, where was I?" Peyton questioned.

"You were in Savannah with your dad for the weekend." Haley reminded her.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, continue." Peyton said.

"So anyway, the guys were annoyingly complaining about how bored they were just sitting around, and Skills comes up with this 'brilliant' idea. The seven of them took glass plates up to the rooftop and decided to drop them and see what would happen against the heavy gusts of wind. I tell you, they are complete morons sometimes." Haley finished as they were all laughing.

"Boys can be so dumb." Millie added.

"I don't think they will ever fully grow up." Haley said through her laughter. "So, Millie, how are the wedding plans coming along?" She questioned changing the subject as the laughter died down.

"Stressfully. The wedding is six months, and I feel like nothing is done." Millie answered exasperated.

"Oh, it will get better. I remember when Jake and I were planning our wedding. So many times I told him we should just elope. Nothing was worth that stress. But being the guy that Jake is, he told me he didn't want me to have any regrets and knew that I wanted a wedding. He was right, and it was definitely worth it in the end." Peyton said.

"Thanks. I think I need to hear that right now, because I'm so close to telling Mouth the same thing. I know planning for a wedding was going to be stressful, but I didn't expect this." Millie admitted.

"Oh, you don't know stressful wedding planning until you've helped Brooke Davis plan a wedding." Haley chimed in. She didn't even realize how casually she said her name. "I was really scared of her during that time. She was worse than I had ever seen her. It was like she was going to blow up at any moment. She threatened me so much about making sure my dress fit perfectly. I swear I was almost afraid of eating anything for fear that I'd gain a pound and then have to deal with Brooke's wrath. And that was just one of the more mild situations."

"Brooke was always a vicious one, wasn't she? Do you remember when I first began at Tree Hill High senior year?" Rachel asked.

"Like we could forget." Haley and Peyton said simultaneously.

Millie held up her hand in mock protest, "I don't."

"Well, let's just say in a short explanation. She and Lucas were just on the cusp of dating, and I wormed my way into their relationship and tried to sabotage it. And to be completely honest, I wasn't even interested in Lucas. I was more interested in messing with Brooke. That girl had one hell of a mean slap. We were at a basketball pep rally for the start of the season, and I tried turning her squad against her. And I also kept jumping in front of her during the routine. It was actually all very amusing since she was so serious about everything. She slapped me. I punched her. Peyton tackled me. And then we were all on the ground fighting. Even the guys came out fighting-fists and all. Mouth was doing a commentary during the whole thing as well. And I actually think he has it on tape somewhere." Rachel said.

"Sounds like an unforgettable night. I wish I could have been there, but I might just have to get Mouth to show it to me." Millie said laughing.

"Did we ever find out what Lucas and Nathan were fighting about which began the whole thing on the guys end?" Haley questioned.

"You." Rachel said simply.

"What?" Haley questioned in surprise.

"Yeah, Lucas was hounding him about his treatment of you per Brooke's request I believe." Peyton began. "And then, he expelled a low blow comment by comparing Nathan to Dan, and all hell sort of broke loose after that."

"That's my Brookie-always protective of me." Haley said with a proud smirk.

"Overprotective is more like it." A voice sounded startling the girls. They looked as Nathan was now at the table holding Sophie in his arms. "Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to take her for awhile. Owen, Jake, and I are going to go down in the basement to shoot a game of pool."

"Of course." She readily agrees taking the little girl out of his arms and setting her comfortably on the tops of her thighs. "Go play pool and have some fun."

"Thanks." He says in appreciation before leaning forward and kissing Sophie on her forehead. "Bye, sweetie. I'll be back soon." He coos before taking off in the direction of the house.

Haley watches him go with a smile. She was surprised at how easy things have been between them lately. Of course, they still bickered, and he still made his asinine sexual comments, but things were good. They were completely devoted to Sophie at this point. Usually the only time they went out was for anything work related or to go grocery shopping. This was the first real outing they had been on since taking custody of Sophie. And it felt nice to be surrounded by people-her friends and family. It felt really nice.

"It's so strange to see Nathan this way." Rachel said with a chuckle once he was out of sight.

"What way is that?" Haley questioned.

"With a baby. I mean, this is the guy who is like one of the biggest man whores in the state of North Carolina. Not to mention, this is the guy who never talked about having children at all. And now he's raising a baby. He's settling down. He has a family. It's just weird. In a good way, of course, but still weird nonetheless." Rachel explained.

Haley grimaced slightly at that explanation. "He may have a baby, but it's not like he's really settling down. And we are certainly not a family." She argued.

"You kind of are." Peyton spoke up causing Haley to look in her direction now. "What? You are. I mean, maybe not in the biblical/married sense, but you're living together. You're raising Sophie together. You essentially are a family."

The girls began engaging in a different topic of conversation as Haley tried processing what Rachel and Peyton had both said. She's never really thought about them being a _family_. Sure they were raising Sophie together, but they were definitely not together. When they said that, she couldn't help but think back to something similar Brooke had said not too long ago.

"_Hello! Is anyone home?" Haley called out walking into the house._

"_In the kitchen!" Brooke hollered from the distance._

_Haley took her coat off and hung it on the coat rack in the foyer while setting her purse down on the nearby desk before proceeding through the halls and into the kitchen where she saw Brooke and Sophie seated eating some lunch. "Good afternoon. And hello to you my perfect Goddaughter." Haley greeted kissing Sophie on the cheek soundly._

"_Hey, Hales. And what do we owe this pleasure?" Brooke asked._

"_Well, best friend, I have the day off and was bored so I thought I would come visit with my favorite person. Where is Lucas by the way?" Haley questioned with a smirk._

_Brooke placed her hand over her heart in mock hurt. "You wound me. Did you hear that, Sophie? Your aunt thinks she's so funny, doesn't she?"_

_Haley chuckled taking a seat in the chair adjacent to Brooke and Sophie. "So, really, where is Lucas?"_

"_Well, Nathan's in town and…"_

"_Yeah, I noticed that." Haley mumbled under her breath._

_Brooke ignored the comment and continued, "Nathan stopped by to see Sophie for a little bit and then he and Lucas went to the café to grab some lunch, and they might go meet up with the guys at the Rivercourt for some basketball afterwards."_

"_Good. Then, it's just us girls. I say we get some ice cream and watch chick flicks. Or maybe some Teletubbies." Haley suggested looking at the little brunette._

"_I think that sounds like a great plan." Brooke agreed. "I have some Rocky Road in the freezer. Sorry, but I don't have any Mint Chocolate Chip." She began sympathetically._

"_Now that's just pure madness. Who doesn't have Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream in the freezer? That's like the ultimate sin. I don't know if I can even be friends with you anymore." Haley scolded dramatically._

"_Haha." Brooke deadpanned good-naturedly. "You didn't let me finish, my dramatic friend. If you haven't noticed, Sophie and I are enjoying some macaroni and cheese with cut up hot dog bits mixed in, and there is some left so help yourself. We know how much you love macaroni and cheese." Brooke said._

"_Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Haley questioned walking over to the cupboard and pulling out a plate._

"_Only like all the time, but you know me, I love to hear it. So please feel free to continue saying it endlessly and go ahead and shower me with other praises as well like how I am an amazing designer, and a perfect friend who is so beautiful with a killer body and…" Brooke began but paused as she shared a look with Haley. "On second thought, skip the whole killer body thing cause that sounds a little too Lost and Delirious for my liking. Besides, I know I have a killer body. It is obvious to anyone with eyes that work so just go ahead and praise me with any and all other compliments."_

"_Oh, Tigger, I really do love you and your forwardness."_

_Forty-five minutes later, the girls found themselves lounging on the couch in the living room binging on ice cream watching The Notebook while Sophie played contently with her toys on the carpet in front of the television. Lucas had called earlier informing Brooke that they were in fact heading to the Rivercourt to play some basketball so they decided to take full advantage of the quiet, "menless" house._

"_Could you imagine having a love like that?" Haley said at the part in the movie when Noah and Allie were in the old house about to make love for the first time before getting interrupted. "Well, you don't have to imagine it since you basically have found it already."_

_Brooke caught the hint of sadness and resentment in her friend's voice. She knew it wasn't the type of resentment in which she meant anything negatively or rudely towards her and her relationship with Lucas, but the type of just general loneliness resentment. "Hales, I don't think you can compare The Notebook to the relationship between me and Lucas. In fact, I think it'd be hard to find any actual real life couple with a story like theirs. And you'll find someone. You're still young, and you're still insanely hot. It's just a matter of time."_

"_I'm not trying to be a Debby downer or anything, but sometimes I look at you and your family, and I long for something like that. It's not like I need it right now or anything, and I'm definitely not ready for children, but I would like to meet someone. You know, fall in love and know that one day, I, too, could get married and have children of my own." Haley explained._

"_And it will happen. Hales, I was lucky enough to have married my high school sweetheart, but who knows what my life would be like right now had Lucas and I never started dating or broken up or something. I read something that the average age people get married is twenty-six to twenty-eight years old so the way I see it, you're not too far off as you think." Brooke said hoping to cheer her up._

"_Yeah, I guess you're right. It just gets to me sometimes."_

"_Hey, Julian's still available, you know. There's still that chance." Brooke added._

"_Oh yeah, Julian, the guy who still hasn't asked me out. I like him, but I've given up on him actually being interested in me in any romantic sort of way. And I'm okay with that, because I still have his friendship, and that's nice, too." Haley countered._

"_Well, there is always one other possibility." Brooke said slyly enunciating her words slowly._

"_And who is…" Haley began but stopped abruptly at the look on the brunette's face. "No way."_

"_What?" Brooke feigned innocence._

"_There is nothing going on between me and Nathan, there has never been anything between me and Nathan, and there will never be anything between me and Nathan. And you have please got to stop insinuating anything of the sorts." Haley begged._

"_Oh, please, there is so much sexual tension between the two of you that a volcano could erupt. And it would probably be really worth it with all of that hot lava oozing out." Brooke said kinking her eyebrows at the double meaning._

"_Gross."_

_Brooke started laughing at the look of disgust on Haley's face. "Tutor girl, you so need to get laid."_

"_Brooke!" Haley admonished glancing in Sophie's direction feeling a blush invade her cheeks._

"_Well, you do. It's not like you're a virgin anymore. You have had sex, and I think it's about time you had some again. I know you're all about waiting till you're in love again and that's great, but sometimes it's about just needing a good release." Brooke countered as Haley couldn't help but chuckle._

"_Okay, even if that's true, and I'm not saying it is…" Haley began sending her a pointed look. "I don't think Nathan's the guy to help me out nor do I want him to be the guy to help me out in that department. Besides, even if it was for just one quick, sexual encounter, I would still want it to be meaningful with a guy who isn't a complete man whore and is also longing to be with just one person."_

"_I don't know, Hales, Nathan might surprise you. Maybe he, under the surface of it all, is also looking for the real deal." Brooke suggested as Haley shot her a look of complete doubt. "Well, you've seen him with Sophie. And I know it's a little different, but he's great with her. He loves her, and he completely softens around her. Maybe he really does want that for himself one day but is too scared or oblivious to realize it. And I'm just saying that I think you and Nathan are more alike than you two think. And I've always felt that there could be something great between you two, and if you just put all of that other stuff aside, you could fall in love."_

"_Brooke." Haley warned._

"_I'm your friend, and I'm entitled to tell you my view on things and as my friend, it's your job to at least hear me out." Brooke said sternly and didn't wait for an opposing argument. "I just want you two to be happy, and I think you guys could find it with one another and be a real family together. That's all."_

"_I love you, Brooke, but that's not going to happen. I don't like Nathan, and he very clearly doesn't like me. There's never going to be anything between us. So can you please just drop the subject? As my friend, you owe me that considering it makes me really uncomfortable talking about it." Haley said smiling at her._

"_Fine, I'll drop it. I just wanted to tell you how I felt."_

"_Thank you. And can we please get back to watching the romantic movie of all time?" Haley asked as the two girls turned their attention back towards the television indulging in spoonfuls of ice cream every once in awhile._

_Even though Haley wanted desperately to block her mind of the conversation which just took place, she couldn't seem to do so. Brooke's words kept replaying over in her mind._

"You okay?" Nathan asked breaking her of her thoughts.

She looked up and noticed him standing beside her. "Yeah, I'm fine." She responded trying to rid any thoughts from before, but she couldn't get those words-Brook's and Rachel and Peyton's- out of her head.

"Are you sure, because you don't seem fine." He pressed further.

"I'm fine, Nathan." She responded a little harsher than she intended to.

"Oookay. Sorry for asking." He drawled out putting his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm going to bring Sophie over to Keith and Karen. If that's okay with you, of course." He said with caution.

Haley closed her eyes with mild frustration for being so short with him before. "Yeah, of course." She answered giving Sophie a kiss on the cheek before handing her over to Nathan. He thanked her and said he'd be back later while taking off leaving her to watch him walk away. She didn't know why she was thinking so much about what Peyton and Rachel said, but for some reason, they were all she could think about. Did people really see them as a family? Is that what people thought when they were seen together at the grocery store and stuff like that? She didn't know if she liked that or not, but she knew one thing-it terrified her.

Three hours later, the crowd had begun to dissipate. All of the children were gone with the exception of Sophie. Even Jenny was gone spending the night with a friend of hers. Skills, Bevin, Owen, and Rachel were in the pool have a water wrestling fight with the girls on the guys' shoulders. Mouth and Millie were sitting on the ledge with their feet in the water watching and cheering. Jake, Peyton, and Larry were standing next to one of the tables chatting with one another.

In the living room, Haley was changing Sophie into some pajamas while Nathan was packing her diaper bag so they could take off as well. It was getting late and knew they should really put the little girl to bed.

"We're going to take off." Keith said as he and Karen entered the living room.

"Yeah, we're going to head out, too, as soon as we get this little one ready." Haley answered.

"Oh, you guys are leaving so soon? Your friends are all still here enjoying themselves." Karen stated.

"Well, we need to get Sophie home." Haley stated with a shrug of her shoulders while pulling a shirt over the girl's head.

"Yup, it's bed time for this little one." Nathan joined in zipping up the packed diaper bag.

Keith and Karen shared a look and nodded. "Or we could take her home with us." Karen offered.

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"No, we'd love to. We can spend time with our precious granddaughter, and the two of you can stay here and have some fun. Even drink a little." Karen said with a chuckle. "And you can come pick her up tomorrow."

Nathan and Haley shared a look with one another contemplating whether to accept or not. They both wanted to, because they really wanted to stay and hang out with everyone a little longer, but they didn't want to just pass Sophie along to Keith and Karen. It was nice that they offered, but they felt guilty accepting.

"Really. It's no problem at all you guys so stop acting like you're asking us something we don't want to do. We really want to take her for the night. We are not just offering for your sake but for our own as well. And besides, I think it would be really good for all of you guys to hang out and talk. When's the last time you did that, huh? I bet it was before the accident. Am I right?" Karen asked as Nathan and Haley nodded their heads. "Okay, there you go. You two gain something out of this and Keith and I do as well. So, there's nothing left to discuss. We're taking her home with us while you guys stay here. Okay." She said sternly.

"Okay." They agreed with a laugh. Nathan stood up and handed Keith the diaper bag before taking Sophie from Haley's hands. He balanced her with his left hand against his hip while taking his free hand and holding it out for Haley to take which she graciously accepted and stood up with his help. "Well, sweetie, are you ready to go spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa?" She asked with a chipper voice causing the girl to giggle. "You are, aren't you. Well, we're going to miss you." She showered kisses on the little girl's face.

"Bye, angel." Nathan said kissing her cheek soundly before handing her off to Karen.

"Well, feel free to come by anytime. We'll be home all day. If you want to come later in the day, that wouldn't be a problem at all." Karen hinted with a gleam in her eye.

"Message received." Haley laughed. "Well, thanks again. And I guess we'll see you tomorrow."

The four of them said their goodbyes as Keith and Karen strapped Sophie in and left Jake and Peyton's house as Haley and Nathan made their way back through the house and outside. Nathan rid himself of his shirt leaving him in just his swim trunks which Haley took the moment to discreetly check him out. _He did have an amazing body, and there was nothing wrong with noticing._ She told herself in justification. They parted ways as he headed towards the cooler to grab himself another beer while calling out if she wanted one which she politely declined.

"I thought you guys were leaving." Peyton spoke up confused.

"We were, but Keith and Karen took Sophie for the night so that we could stay here longer. So you're stuck with us." Haley answered.

"Awesome. We certainly weren't ready for you guys to leave yet. Please be sure to thank the grandparents for us." Peyton said.

"Of course." Haley smiled.

"Well, speaking of leaving, I think it's time for me to get out of here." Larry announced. "It seems as if I'm the last oldie here, and I know you 'kids' are itching to get rid of me."

"You know us too well, Mr. Sawyer." Jake joked.

"Jeez, they've been married for how long, and he still calls me Mr. Sawyer." Larry joked speaking towards Haley as they all laughed. "Anyway, Haley, it's always a pleasure to see you again." He said giving her a kiss on the cheek as she agreed.

He proceeded with his goodbyes towards Jake and Peyton and hollering out a goodbye to everyone else before leaving.

"Hales, I think it's your turn, baby girl!" Skills shouted from the water.

Haley turned her attention towards the pool and shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm not really in the mood to get all wet."

"Did Jake or Peyton tell you this was a pool party?" He countered as she laughed. "Besides, I know you've got your bikini on under that dress of yours. So come on. You and Nathan-you're up against me and Bevin."

"Skills, I really don't feel li…ahh!" The next thing she knew, she was flying into the pool pressed against another body causing a big splash. Rising to the surface, she ran her hands over her face and rubbed the water away from her eyes. She could hear the echoing laughter surrounding her. Opening her eyes, she first caught site of Nathan who was next to her in the pool sporting his infamous smirk. "You are such a jackass, Nathan!"

"Oh, come on, Hales. What's a pool party without actually getting wet? "

"Well, thanks to you, I'm completely wet. These are the only clothes I brought with me, and I'm drenched." She scolded.

"Haley, I'll run your dress through the dryer." Peyton jumped in as Haley climbed out of the pool.

Haley wrung out the bottom of her dress which was clinging to her body and glared icily towards Nathan. "That is so not the point, Peyton." She said dramatically.

Nathan rolled his eyes. She was way too easy sometimes. He watched as she pulled at the hem of her pale blue/white horizontal striped jersey dress and dragged it up her body and over her head revealing her white halter style bikini. His breath hitched as his eyes roamed over the length of her body. She did have one killer body-slender but with just the right amount of curves. He was surprised when he saw a silver ring dangling from her belly button. He had no idea she had it pierced. She came across as a strictly ear pierced type of girl. He also appreciated the white color of her bikini. It made her look so pure and innocent which was completely enticing. He had seen her in bikinis before in high school, but he didn't remember her ever looking like this in them.

"You alright there, buddy." A voice sounded next to him. He turned and noticed Skills smirking and giving him a pointed look. Nathan rolled his eyes and collected himself, "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"Just making sure." Skills held up his hands paddling away laughing.

"You are so going to get it." Haley warned jumping back into the pool. Coming to the surface, she immediately started swimming towards him placing her hands on his shoulders dunking him down under the water. "Jerk." She reprimanded once again as he came up for air.

"Damn girl, you're stronger than you look." He remarked earning himself another glare. "So since you're in the water now, how about it, James? You want to kick some ass with me?"

Haley glanced over at Skills and Bevin who were sending challenging looks their way and turned back towards Nathan. "Hell yeah!" She swam towards him as he ducked under the water, and she climbed onto his shoulders. She let out a tiny yelp as he rose back up above the surface. She felt him place his hands on her bare thighs, and she felt a slight shock shoot through her entire body. Ignoring it, she focused on the reason she was currently sitting on his shoulders. And she soon began wrestling with Bevin.

* * *

><p>"Well, it's official. Haley and I are awesome while the rest you suck." Nathan said smugly climbing into the hot tub after Haley where everyone else had already seated themselves. "I mean, really, not a single one of you beat us. We are the champions."<p>

"Whatever. I let you win, dog. I was afraid your ego couldn't hack losin'." Skills countered.

"Hey!" Haley jumped in. "What about me? I sure as hell don't have an ego as large as Nathan's."

"Don't worry, baby girl, you were just an unfortunate victim considering you were his partner and all." He assured her as everyone laughed.

"Thanks, Skills." Haley laughed.

Nathan rubbed his shoulders. "Well, winning comes with a price. My shoulders are a little sore. Damn, Hales, you get heavy after awhile." He smirked. "Ouch!" He exclaimed now rubbing his left arm where she punched him.

"Watch what you say next time!" She warned.

Nathan rolled his eyes just as Fergie and Junk came back with the cooler full of beverages. Bud Lights and flavored wine coolers were passed out amongst the group as everyone sat in the hot, jetting water relaxing from the events of the day.

Haley couldn't help but look around and wish Lucas and Brooke were there. She wasn't dwelling on it, and it certainly wasn't putting a negative outlook on the day and evening, but it did make her sad. They should be there with them enjoying the beautiful weather and conversing. They should just be here in general.

But this was good, too. Spending the day and quality time with her friends who were still alive and meant so much to her. Spending some time away from Sophie was also rewarding. It was nice to remember and relive-even for just a short time-what her life was like prior. She knew both she and Nathan needed this at times, and she realized how much they needed to make sure they took moments like this.

She looked over and caught Nathan's gaze. As if reading her thoughts, he smiled softly at her.

"So, who's up for a round of 'I Never'?" Rachel joked.

"Oh yeah, because that always works out so nicely." Peyton laughed. "Besides I think we know all of each others' dirty little secrets now that we know Miss James over here isn't a virgin."

Haley felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, and she didn't have to look over at him to know Nathan was smirking at her much to her discomfort.

"You know, we never did get the story of how you were de-virginized." Rachel said kinking her eyebrows in Haley's direction.

"And you aren't going to." Haley spoke up good-naturedly.

"Come on, Hales, what was your first time like? Was it soft and slow or was it hard and rough?" Peyton egged her on.

"I bet it was soft and slow-romantic-you know, since we're talking about Haley over there." Rachel said not meaning it as an insult which Haley didn't take as one.

"I don't know, Rach. They say it's the good girls who are really the bad girls. I bet Haley is a wildcat in the sack." Peyton countered and laughed as Haley's face was now beat red.

Nathan smirked even wider as he felt himself harden slightly as images of Haley in bed conjured up in his mind. He could definitely see Haley letting loose during sex, but he could also picture it being soft and slow. He imagined any way with her would be rewarding and completely satisfying. He could definitely show her how amazing it could be with him. Nathan reprimanded himself silently. He really had to stop thinking about things like that. But it was so damn hard when she was sitting right next to him in that bikini which made her look so amazing. She was practically wearing nothing next to him, and he expected himself not to fantasize about it. Not to mention, the fact that they were talking about sex. Not just sex, but how Haley was during sex. What did he expect?

"Please stop." Haley pleaded closing her eyes.

And for once, Nathan inwardly agreed with her. They needed to exit out of this topic of conversation like immediately.

"Okay, fine. We'll spare you anymore embarrassment." Peyton conceded.

"Okay, so 'I Never' is out of the question, what about 'Truth or Dare'?" Rachel suggested as the group nodded. "I'll start. Don't worry, Hales, I won't ask you how your first time was." She assured as Haley sent her a thankful nod. "Bevin, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Okay, when was the last time you 'Brooked' yourself?" Rachel asked laughing.

Everyone quickly thought back to the last time they had this conversation and how they dubbed the term 'Brooking' yourself.

"Last week. Skills was gone, and I was in the mood." Bevin answered with no shame as she and Rachel clinked their bottles together. "Mouth, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"How do you think you're going to die?"

"Well, I'm hoping that either a basketball gets chucked hard into my face causing me to fling back and knock my head harshly against something which will cause my sudden death or a hugely tall pro basketball player will fall into me squishing me to death." He joked as causing everyone to laugh. "Nathan, I'm hoping you'll be able to help me out with either of those instances." He added.

"You can count on me, Mouth. I'll be happy to aid in your death." Nathan promised holding up his beer.

"Gosh." Haley muttered rolling her eyes in amusement.

"Now that that's settled, Fergie, truth or dare?" Mouth questioned.

"Truth."

"Does anybody else realize that everyone is just picking truth." Rachel spoke up.

"I do." Haley answered raising her right hand. "But I think the truths are so much more enjoyable to listen to so I say we just do an 'ask/answer questions truthfully' type of game. Who's in?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "Alright then. Proceed with your question, Mouth." She said.

"Who in this room do you think would make the worst date?"

"All of the guys." Fergie answered as everyone laughed again. "Skills, who is your celebrity crush?"

"Duh, Halle Berry." Skills answered as if the answer should be obvious. "Let's see, Hales, what's your deepest fear, baby girl?"

"Spiders." She answered without skipping a beat. "I hate those things. They're all leggy and hairy and ugly and disgusting. I don't know why they exist nor do I care, they serve no purpose on this earth, and they should all be exterminated." She said further shaking her body while cringing.

"I'll have to keep that in mind." Nathan said slyly.

"You try anything, and I'll castrate you. No joke." She warned as he held up his hands in mild protest. "Okay, Rachel, have you ever had a threesome?"

"Why, Haley James, great question. And the answer to that is yes."

"Eww, gross, Rachel." Haley said.

"What? I was in college and experimenting, what do you expect?" She defended herself. "Besides I'm sure I'm not the only one with 'yes' as my answer to that question." She added looking pointedly at Nathan.

Haley turned to look at him, and she didn't know why but she didn't want to hear his response. The thought made her sick in more ways than just the act alone. She figured someone with his type of experience and reputation has engaged in something like that, but there was assuming and then there was knowing.

"Actually, I haven't." He answered shocking not only Haley but everyone else as well.

"Yeah, right. Come on, Nathan, we are all friends here. You can tell us the truth." Rachel prodded not believing him.

"I really haven't. I've made out with two girls at the same time," He stated as Haley cringed slightly. "But I have never actually been in a threesome sexually. And believe me, I would tell you guys the truth." He smirked.

Haley couldn't deny within herself the relief she felt at hearing that response. There were some things she could handle and others she couldn't. For all of his faults, he was better than that.

The group continued playing the game for an hour longer before realizing it was getting really late and decided to call it a night.

* * *

><p>Nathan and Haley entered the pitch black house as he quickly flipped on the light switch. "Well, that was fun." He said as she agreed. "It feels weird, though, not having Sophie here."<p>

"I know. I keep thinking I should go upstairs to check on her." She said.

"So, are you tired?" He asked.

"Not really. You?"

"Nope. You want to eat some really bad junk food and watch a movie?" He asked.

"Sounds good to me, but I do want to go take a shower first. I smell like chlorine." She answered. The two of them went upstairs and into their own bedrooms to shower and change into some pajamas.

Haley walked downstairs and into the living room where Nathan was seated on the couch. "Jeez, you think you have enough junk food there." She pointed towards the coffee table which was anchoring three different kinds of chips, a bag of skittles, a bag of peanut M&M's, two cans of diet Pepsi, and a two bowls of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.

"You can never have too much junk food, and I didn't think you'd complain once you saw the ice cream."

Haley plopped down on the cushion next to him and grabbed the bowl he was holding out towards her. "I definitely won't." She said immediately inserting a spoonful into her mouth. "Gosh, this is so good. Whoever invented this should be a God."

Nathan chuckled at her while he, too, took a bite of his own.

"What are we watching?" She asked tucking her legs underneath her and draping the throw on the back of the couch over her bare legs.

"Is Office Space okay? I figured a comedy would be a great choice."

"I've never seen it." She revealed.

"You've never seen Office Space." He asked incredulously as she shook her head. "Well, then we are watching it, and you are in for a treat. This movie is hilarious."

"You're type of hilarious or mine." She questioned with a small smirk.

"Oh, both. I know you'll like it."

"Okay, then. Actually, Brooke loves this movie and always tried to get me to watch it, but we either put something else in or I just never found the time to actually watch it. So, I guess I'm kind of looking forward to finally seeing what all the fuss is about." She stated.

Nathan told her it was worth the fuss and started the movie not bothering to fast-forward through the previews but instead let them play. "So, you looked kind of surprised at my answer to that whole threesome question." He commented catching her off-guard. He noticed her face when he answered considering he made it a point to watch her facial expressions when he did. He wanted to see her reaction.

"I was." She admitted.

"Do you really think I'm that big of a man whore? Is that really all that you think of me?" He asked.

Haley was surprised at the hint of hurt in his voice as he asked that. She never really thought about how he felt when she made her comments. Why would she? He never seemed to think or give a damn how she felt when he made his own comments. "It's not really that." She began and decided to be completely honest with him. "That's not all I think of you, Nathan. I know the type of guy you can be. I've seen how you can be with Sophie and around Lucas. But I'm not going to lie to you either, because I do see you that way."

"Thanks." He said sarcastically.

"Oh come on, Nathan, we've known each other long enough to be honest with one another. Do you see me any more differently than you do other on the comments you make towards me?" She challenged.

"I guess you have a point." He conceded.

"There you go. But Nathan, you should know that I was relieved when I heard your answer." She admitted capturing his full attention. "I was relieved, because I know you're better than that. I may not always say it or even think it, but I do know it. And I'm sure deep down, you maybe feel the same way about me. Huh?" She smiled nudging him slightly with her elbow.

Nathan couldn't help but laugh and rolled his eyes teasingly. "I suppose maybe."

Haley smirked, "That's what I thought."

"You think you're so funny, don't you?" He asked rhetorically as he began tickling her sides causing her to laugh loudly, almost uncontrollably.

"Stop, Nathan! Please! I'm going to spill my ice cream all over us." She pleaded through her laughter.

Nathan finally let up and retreated back to his spot as she did the same. At that time, the previews had ended and the Menu screen popped up on the television. He pushed play on the DVD remote. "Prepare for some serious laughs, Haley James."

"Oh, I'm ready. Bring on the comedy." She returned. They remained quiet as the movie took just a few more seconds longer to start. "I like this." Haley stated randomly.

"Like what?" He questioned confused.

"What we're doing tonight-no fighting. Just having a nice, relaxing evening with a hint of normal conversation. It's nice." She said smiling at him.

Nathan caught her gaze and returned the smile, "I like this, too."

They continued smiling at one another until the movie began and quieted down once again eating their ice cream and other food enjoying the movie and simply being in one another's company.

**There you guys go. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it was worth the wait. Next chapter will begin some more drama as well as a big decision that will change things slightly. Just a couple little small spoilers for you guys as you wait desperately for the next chapter. LOL! Well, I hope to have another chapter for you guys soon. I'm actually shooting for Monday, but please don't get your hopes up with that one. I'll try my best, though. Anyway, please let me know what you guys think. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Back with an update. Well, I told you I would try my hardest to get another update to you guys today, and I had success. :) It's another long one for you. And here are a couple of AN's for you guys-this chapter may feel a little jumbled together, and I don't think it's my greatest to be completely honest. There are a lot of instances in it, but I wanted to get to the next point in this story, and I didn't want to expand it to another chapter to do so. And also, please don't hate me for one part of this story. I'm sorry. I promise the drama isn't too bad. LOL!**

**As always, thanks for all of the story alerts I'm receiving for this story. I love opening my mail and seeing all of the new alerts. They truly make my day. And also as always, a huge thanks to JamesLover23, courtneylovejason, chase the memories, Steffsche, roseptal16, othfan48, Ellie, thekellay, and solo73 for taking the time to review. They always put a smile on my face.**

**Anyway, enough talking onto the reading (the longest chapter yet)...**

_October 15, 2011_

Haley used her key pass and walked into the 'employee only' door of Tree Hill Memorial ready to start her shift for the day. She took a sip out of her pink travel mug and smiled walking through the halls. Ever since the night of Jake and Peyton's pool party, things have been going amazingly with Sophie as well as with Nathan. They were beginning to develop a comfortable routine with one another.

And things between her and Nathan aside from Sophie have been going really well. She couldn't remember the last time they bickered with one another or had an argument with one another. It was as if they developed an understanding with each other that night. Slowly throughout the past month, they began opening up to one another. Of course, they were really vague, little instances but it was something. And it was really nice. They had also talked about their situation with Sophie and agreed to keep living their lives. They agreed that they couldn't let this whole situation stop them from moving forward as well.

Making her ways towards the locker room, she saw Julian standing in the hallway looking over what she presumed to be a patient's chart. She smiled. "Hey, Julian." She greeted warmly.

"Hey, Haley." He returned instantly brightening upon her arrival. "How are you doing?"

"I'm great. You?"

"Not bad." He answered.

"So my life has sort of 'calmed down' so to speak, and I feel like I'm ready to move forward some more." She began nervously as Julian smiled. He had a feeling he knew where she was going with this but waited for her to finish. "And I was just thinking that if you're still interested and available, you might consider asking me again." She watched as he opened his mouth and put up her hand to stop him. "Not right now. I have to go clock in for work, and I would rather you ask me later. That way it would feel like you're asking me and not me hinting at you to ask me." She said with a chuckle.

Julian didn't say anything in response. He just nodded smiling and watched as she returned the gesture before walking away from him.

Nathan groaned as his the ringtone of his cell phone started playing. The incessant ringing continued on a little longer before stopping causing him to smile as he focused on falling asleep once more. However, the loud, distracting noise just started up once again. Reaching for the phone sitting on the nightstand, he pressed 'Answer' and barked out a 'hello' without looking at the caller id.

"Whoa, what's your problem?" Clay asked after getting Nathan's "welcoming" greeting.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that it's only eight in the morning not to mention I was up half the night with Sophie, and I just got her to sleep fifteen minutes ago, and I have no idea when she's going to wake up again. I can't imagine what my problem would be." Nathan answered sarcastically.

"Well, get over it because we need to talk. Look, Nathan, have you made a decision yet about what you're going to do?"

Nathan closed his eyes in frustration. He was kicking himself right now for not turning his phone on silent or turning it off completely. He wondered if playing dumb would fly over with his agent right now. "A decision about what?" He asked and rolled his eyes at how lame he sounded.

"You know what I'm talking about, Nathan." Clay countered sternly.

"No, I haven't."

"It's been close to two months." Clay pointed out.

"I know."

"Practices have started." Clay also pointed out.

"I realize that."

"Games are starting in less than two months and..."

"I know this, Clay!" Nathan interrupted heatedly. "You don't think I know this-that I haven't been thinking about all of this for a long time now. Believe me, I haven't forgotten. I know I have to make a decision, but you don't understand how hard this all is, okay. It's not just about me anymore. It's about Sophie and about Haley. I know I have to make a decision. I know that. But I don't know what I'm going to do yet, okay."

Clay took a deep breath. "Nate, I do understand. But you have got to understand things from our side over here, too. The new season is starting-has started with practices. There's a lot more to this than just practices and games, and you know that. We need an owner who's going to be here whether that means moving back here to Charlotte or traveling back and forth, but you need to be here. We-all of us-understand what you're going through, but it still doesn't change the fact that we need you here and you need to make a decision."

"I know." Nathan responded softly. Silence wafted between the two over the two phone lines for a few seconds. "Just give me until the end of this month, and then I'll have my decision made. Please. Can you just give me that?"

"Fine. But Nathan, the first of November I need an answer." Clay agreed. The two said their goodbyes and ending their call.

Nathan lay back on the mattress closing his eyes. He had no idea what he was going to do. He knew he had to talk to Haley about everything, but he didn't know how to bring it up to her. He didn't know how she was going to react or what she was going to say. But he knew he had to talk to her. This decision affected her and Sophie as much as it did him. He couldn't ask her to drop her life here in Tree Hill and move to Charlotte with him. That wouldn't be fair at all. He could always commute back and forth, but that was way too much travel. He couldn't do that. In the very beginning, he thought about just leaving them and going back to his life prior, but that thought was too unbearable. He couldn't leave Sophie. She was in his life now, and he loved her. The need and obligation he felt when first taking custody of Sophie was changing towards a want. He wanted Sophie. And Haley...well, he just couldn't leave them now.

He cursed under his breath as he heard Sophie crying from a distance in her bedroom. He stalled for a couple minutes before pushing the blankets off of him and climbing out of the bed making his way tiredly into her room. "Hey, sweetie. How are you not sleeping right now?" He asked picking the little girl up in his arms as she continued crying. "You have to be exhausted."

He gently rocked her from side to side. She was clinging to his chest with her head resting on his shoulder as her crying had began to calm down and was now letting out a sniffle here and there. He rested his cheek against her forehead and immediately became more alert. He felt her forehead with the back of his left hand. "You feel kind of warm." He said as he began searching for the thermometer. Finding it, he stuck it under her armpit and waited for it to finish reading.

_101.3 _Nathan began to slightly panic. His first thought was to get her to the hospital. He had never been in this type of situation before, and he wasn't sure of how bad that temperature was for an infant. He quickly changed her diaper as well as her clothes. He made sure her diaper bag was stocked and rushed downstairs with it and Sophie in tow. "We're going to go visit Aunt Haley at the hospital, okay." He said strapping her into her car seat which was located at the front door. Once finished, he quickly threw on his Bobcat's sweatshirt over his plain white t-shirt.

Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at the hospital, unbuckled Sophie from the car seat, and rushed into the building. He arrived at the reception desk greeted by a middle-aged brunette woman sitting behind the desk. "Hi, I'm looking for Haley James. She's a nurse here. It's a family emergency." He explained hastily gesturing towards the little girl in his arms. Sophie was crying softly into the crook of his neck as he rubbed his hand soothingly up and down her back. He kissed her forehead feeling so helpless. He found himself growing impatient as the lady talked on the phone.

"She's up in the pediatric wing up on the third floor." She said hanging up the phone.

He muttered out a quick "thank you" rushing towards the elevators.

Haley was sitting behind the reception desk entering some information into the computer when she heard the ding of the elevator. She looked up and saw Nathan rushing out of it looking completely disheveled with Sophie in one arm and her diaper bag draped over the shoulder of his other. "Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked standing up from the chair and walking around the desk.

"Hey, there's something wrong with Sophie." He said frantically.

"What!" She exclaimed casting her eyes towards the girls.

"She has a fever. Her temperature was 101.3 this morning, and she's been really fussy." He explained as Haley moved her hand up Sophie's forehead. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what's wrong with her."

"Okay." Haley said letting out a small chuckle. "It's okay. Babies get fevers all the time. It doesn't necessarily mean anything is seriously wrong. We'll get her checked out." She said calming his fears as she paged for a doctor to come. She looked back up and smiled at the worry stretched across Nathan's face. She placed her hand comfortingly on his arm, "Hey, it's okay. You can breathe."

Nathan expelled the breath he had been holding in and felt himself relaxing. "Sorry, this is all just so..."

"I know. I'm right there with you." She said. "But a doctor will be here shortly, and we'll get her checked out. And then you can go back home and..." She paused taking in his appearance. He was still wearing his grey sweatpants from the night before and had on a blue sweatshirt with a white t-shirt sticking out from the bottom. "Get back into bed." She joked.

Nathan glanced down at his appearance and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I was in a hurry."

Haley couldn't help but smile. He looked so adorable right now. Her thoughts were interrupted by another voice, though. She turned and saw Julian approaching them. "Hey, Julian."

"Haley." He greeted smiling. "Did you page me?" He asked glancing passed her noticing the other two.

"Yes, I did. Julian, this is Nathan." She introduced.

"Oh, Nathan as in your Nathan."

Haley almost choked on her spit when he said that. _Your_. "Well, he's umm...this is Nathan Scott, yes." She stammered and turned around. "Nathan, this is Julian Baker."

"Nice to meet you, Nathan." Julian greeted extending his hand out.

"It's nice to meet you, too." Nathan returned.

"And this..." Haley began taking the little girl from his arms. "Is Sophie."

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you, Sophie. Haley talks about you all of the time." Julian said.

"Sophie had a fever of 101.3 so Nathan brought her in just a little bit ago hence the reason why I paged you." She explained.

"Okay, well, follow me." He said leading them into one of the empty exam rooms. Haley sat down on the bed balancing Sophie on her thigh as Nathan stood next to the bed running his fingers through Sophie's hair. Julian asked some standard questions as he took her temperature. "101.2. I'm just going to give her some Tylenol, and you guys should be all set."

Haley nodded.

"That's at." Nathan said incredulously. "You're just giving her some Tylenol. Don't you need to run some more tests or something? I mean, maybe there's something wrong that you're missing."

Julian smiled at his concern. _First time parents_. "Nathan, as far as it seems, Sophie here just has a fever. Some Tylenol and plenty of fluids should do the trick. In twenty-four hours, if her fever is still high then bring her back in, and we'll do something else. But right now, you're just going to have to wait it out. I'm sorry that doesn't settle your concerns for the moment, but really, that's all we can do. I'm sure it's just a fever, though." He tried reassuring him.

"Okay, thanks." Nathan said defeated. He looked over at Haley who smiled at him in reassurance. He figured if there was something more to be concerned about, she would have spoken up. That did settle his concerns a little bit. He took Sophie who snuggled into his chest. He was so busy focusing on Sophie he didn't notice Haley jump off of the hospital bed and walk closer to Julian.

"So, would now be a good time?" Julian asked.

Nathan couldn't help but turn his attention over to them. They looked far too close for his liking. He swept his eyes over to Haley who was smiling and if he didn't know any better, a blush formed on her cheeks. He didn't have a good feeling about this at all.

"Maybe." Haley said.

"Well, are you doing anything on Friday night, because I know this amazing Italian restaurant just the next town over?" Julian asked.

Nathan felt something stirring in his stomach. _Did he just ask her out? Who did this guy think he was? Did he not see him and Sophie standing right here in the same room?_ He cut his eyes once again over to Haley and frowned at what he saw.

"I love Italian." Haley stated.

"So, is that a yes?" Julian asked.

"Oh, I suppose." Haley teased.

"Great. I'll pick you up at seven. Does that sound good?"

"Sounds perfect." She answered.

"Okay, then. Well, I have other patients to tend to. Nathan..."

Nathan looked over to him at hearing his name.

"It was nice to finally meet you and Sophie here. And don't worry so much. I'm sure Sophie will be just fine. Like I said, make sure she's drinking plenty of fluids and getting plenty of rest. I'll talk to you later." Julian said.

Nathan nodded weakly as the other man exited the exam room. He watched as Haley turned towards him with a dreamy look on her face which made him feel sick to his stomach.

Haley couldn't hardly contain the butterflies she felt swirling around in her stomach at the moment. She couldn't believe she was going on a date with Julian this Friday night. She was so excited and nervous and just a plethora of other kinds of emotions right now.

"So I guess I'm watching Sophie on Friday night?" Nathan stated void of any emotion.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nathan. I should have checked with you first if that was okay. If it's not, I can cancel and plan for another night." Haley apologized.

"It's okay, Haley." He reassured quietly. "I have no plans on Friday night so go out and have some fun."

"Are you sure? I mean, this isn't weird for you or anything, is it considering the circumstances?" She asked.

"Why would it be weird? It's fine. You deserve a night out." He said as she nodded in appreciation. "And just as long as the two of you don't end up back at the house for a late night booty call then we don't have any problems." He added and smirked at the deep shade of red that covered her cheeks.

"I don't think you have to worry about that. It's just the first date, and you know I'm not like that." She commented embarrassed.

Nathan smiled at her obvious discomfort. It was too adorable. However, that thought was cast aside when he remembered the actual reason for their conversation. _Why was this bothering him so much?_ So, Haley had a date. So what? It's not as if he cared. _Did he?_ "He seemed nice."

"Julian? Yeah, he's a really good guy." Haley stated.

"How long have you known one another?"

"Not too long. He started working here just a little over a year ago. He's from South Carolina." She answered.

"And you're going on a date with him. This Friday." He said uneasily.

"Yeah, we've actually..." She began but paused. She looked to Nathan who urged her to continue. "We were supposed to go out on our first date the night that, umm...the night of the accident. I was getting ready when I got the call." She finished.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Haley." He said sincerely.

"It's okay. Everything happens for a reason, right. And we get to make up for that date this weekend."

"Well, I'm happy for you, Haley." He responded. And he was, too. She did deserve to go out. Did he like the idea of her going out on a date? No, for some reason. But he would never do anything to jeopardize this for her. He figured these feelings he was having would pass. His emotions were probably just still all over the place from this whole Sophie fever mess. "Well, we better let you get back to work since we bothered you for no apparent reason." He said.

"You didn't bother me. I'm always happy to see you two." She said as they shared a quick look. "And if it had been me, I probably would have done the same as you and brought her in." She took Sophie in her arms holding the girl close to her chest. "Hey, Halloween is coming up, and I was thinking we could go shopping for a costume for this little one and take her trick 'or' treating. Does that sound okay to you?"

"Yeah, of course. I think she'd have fun." He responded.

"Good. Well, I work tomorrow and Thursday. How about Friday afternoon?"

"Sounds like a plan." He agreed. "We better get going."

Haley pouted wrapping her arms around Sophie tighter. "I suppose." She said bringing the little girl in front of her face. "I'll see you soon, sweetie. I love you. Give me a kiss." And Sophie did just that before Haley handed her back over to Nathan. "See you tonight."

"Bye, Hales."

* * *

><p>"Nathan, look at this one! It's so adorable!" Haley exclaimed.<p>

The week had flown by, and it was now Friday. Haley and Nathan were currently at the mall shopping for Halloween costumes for Sophie. Haley also couldn't believe that her date with Julian was tonight. She was so nervous, but in a good way. She was excited and couldn't wait for seven o'clock to come around.

"Hales, really?" Nathan questioned eyeing the costume she was holding up. It was a little cream and pink lamb with bright pink ribbons on its ears, neck, and feet. Its stomach, ears, wrists, and feet had a plain pink/white design.

"It's so cute, Nathan." She gushed. "How can you not think this is like the most adorable thing you've ever seen?"

Nathan had to admit the costume was adorable. He turned to Sophie who was sitting contently in the cart. "Well, Soph, what do you think?" He asked as Haley came to stand beside him in front of her holding up the farm animal.

Sophie looked back and forth between the lamb and Nathan and Haley and smiled.

"The little girl has spoken." Nathan said.

"Yah! Oh, I can't wait to see her in this. She's going to be so precious!" Haley exclaimed placing the costume into the cart.

Haley began pushing the cart through the aisle leisurely as they continued to survey the other costumes. Nathan's eyes immediately caught site of another costume and couldn't stop the smirk which took over his face. He looked at Haley in the corner of his eye and noticed she was smiling down at Sophie. He picked up the costume from the rack and headed slowly towards her. "Hey, Hales, what about this one?"

Haley turned around and let out a loud scream.

Nathan started laughing hysterically as he lowered the giant, fuzzy spider costume he held in his hands.

"That is so not funny, Nathan."

"On the contrary, it's pretty hilarious actually." He countered still laughing.

"I have half a mind to cut that thing up into tiny little pieces."

"Oh, be nice." He began looking at the tag connected to the costume. "What did Freddy the baby spider ever do to you?"

"Can we go now?" She asked cringing with a look of disgust on her face as Nathan hung the costume back up on the racks.

"You're too easy, James. Too easy." He stated slinging his right arm around her shoulders leading them back to the cart. "Sophie here liked it, I think. Maybe we should think about a swap."

"Oh, you're so funny." She deadpanned pushing the cart as the two began walking through the store neither noticing the fact that Nathan still had his arm wrapped around her. Coming upon the checkout, they were relieved when they noticed they didn't have to wait in line.

The saleswoman who looked to be in her early twenties stood behind the register smiling at them warmly as Haley set the lamb costume onto the counter. "Oh, this is just so cute." She gushed with a voice similar to how Haley's was.

Haley cut her eyes over to Nathan and smiled smugly at him causing him to roll his eyes good-naturedly.

"Your daughter is going to look so precious in this. How old is she?" The woman asked ringing up the merchandise.

Nathan and Haley cut their eyes over to her quickly. _Daughter_. It was in that moment that Nathan realized his arm was still dangling around her shoulder immediately retracted it. He looked over to Haley who was seemingly trying to come up with a response. He quickly intervened not wanting to cause the worker any embarrassment either. "Thank you. We think so, too. She's just about sixteen months old. Right, honey?" He asked turning towards Haley.

"Umm, yeah, honey." She answered sharing an amused look with him.

"Well, she is just adorable. You guys are very lucky."

"Yes, we are." They both said sharing another look. This time, their answer was true. They were very lucky to have Sophie and be a part of her life the way they are now.

The rest of the day flew quickly. So quickly that Haley could hardly believe it was six o'clock already. Julian was picking her up in one hour, and she felt like she wasn't ready at all. She walked into her bedroom with nothing but a towel covering her body. She didn't even have an outfit picked out. Where did the time ago? She asked herself rhetorically. When they returned from the mall, they put Sophie in her costume to make sure it fit and looked okay. It did. It looked perfect. And after, they made some lunch and just lounged around in the living room. Before they knew it, it was already five-thirty, and Haley had to get in the tub.

Downstairs, Nathan was busy making some supper for both him and Sophie who was sitting patiently in her highchair playing with a musical toy. He poured the pot into the sink draining the water into the colander and let it sit in there while he poured a can of sauce with some meat into now empty pot and turned the burner down to a lower heat.

Since Haley had gone back to work at the hospital, he found himself having to cook more and more meals from home. He was never one to cook or bake or do anything other than toss a frozen pizza into the oven or throw something in the microwave. This was still all so new to him. He wouldn't call himself a chef or anything remotely close to it, but he had to admit he was getting better. Now Haley-she was an excellent cook. Whenever she was home, she always prepared the meals, and it was arguably some of the best food he had ever tasted. He guessed with her waitressing experience in the cafe which housed some of the best food in town along with having Lydia James as a mother who according to Brooke was an impeccable cook, this kind of stuff just came naturally to her. He certainly enjoyed reaping the benefits.

His thoughts were interrupted by a pair of feet shuffling into the room. He looked up and was speechless at what he saw. There Haley was standing there in a black one sleeve dress which stopped right above her knees. It had no detail to it. It was just simple. It was Haley, and she looked breathtaking. Her long, brunette hair flowed down her back and shoulders in a slight curl, and her makeup had a smoky but elegant look to it.

"Do I look okay?" She asked nervously.

"You...you look gorgeous." He answered.

Haley smiled at his words and felt butterflies in her stomach. It wasn't just his words, though, but the way he said them. And the way he was looking at her right now caused a tingle to shoot through the length of her body. He had never looked at her like that before, and she didn't know if it was something she necessarily liked and felt comfortable with. But it did excite her. "Thank you." She mumbled.

Nathan collected himself and focused on his task at hand. He had to force himself to keep his eyes on the stove in front of him which was hard considering all he wanted to do was take another glance at Haley. He allowed himself one more look at her as he turned and walked towards Sophie which Haley had followed suit. He glanced at the watch on his wrist where it read five till seven. Those feelings he felt at the hospital once again seemed to making their appearance, and he still didn't understand why. It's not as if he had some claim over Haley, and it's not as if he actually wanted to be the one to be going out with her. So why did he have these feelings of...of whatever you could call them.

The doorbell rang causing Haley to turn in the direction of the foyer. "Well, I guess that's my cue." She announced looking over to Nathan who tried desperately not to look in her direction. All he did was nod. She bent down and gave Sophie a kiss on the forehead. "Bye, sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow." She said standing back up and grabbing her purse on the counter.

"Have a nice time tonight, Haley. And don't worry, you really do look gorgeous." Nathan said.

"Thanks, Nathan." She said quietly feeling those butterflies once again glancing at him as their eyes locked for a brief moment before turning around and walking out of the kitchen.

Nathan sat down on the chair beside Sophie. "It's just you and me, Soph." He said quietly still looking in the direction Haley took off in.

* * *

><p>Haley took a sip of her wine laughing at what Julian had just said. It was a couple hours into their date, and their meal was eaten and were now enjoying some dessert and wine. The date had been going wonderfully. Julian was the perfect gentlemen and was just as amazing outside of work as he was inside those hospital doors. Their conversations flowed easily without any uncomfortable moments. They discussed their jobs and their personal lives. Haley talked about Brooke and Sophie while Julian talked about his brothers and sisters. It was new and exciting, and Haley was enjoying every moment of it.<p>

"So, I wasn't going to ask you but I can't help myself." She said as he looked at her confused as well as intrigued. "What took you so long to ask me out?"

"I was actually waiting for that question." He responded laughing. "I was nervous. I'm actually a very shy guy, and I was so afraid of you turning me down. So I put it off and kept putting it off. I really enjoyed the friendship that we had going on as well, and I didn't want to ruin it."

"Okay, so why did you decide to ask me out when you did then?"

"Honestly?" He asked as she nodded. "Your friend, Brooke."

Haley shot him a look of complete surprise. She was so not expecting that one. "What do you mean, my friend, Brooke?" She questioned.

_Julian had just exited a patient's room when he heard the voice of a woman standing at the receptionist desk. He could only see the backside of her, but she looked so familiar. Deciding to get a better look, he walked up to the desk. "Is there something I can help you with?" He asked for himself as well as helping the receptionist who clearly wasn't sure how to handle the clearly demanding brunette._

_"Actually, there is. You are just the man I'm looking for." She responded showing off her mega watt smile with dimples which could drive any man insane. And just like that, it all clicked in his brain. She was someone he had seen Haley talking with in the hospital on several occasions. "You're Haley James' friend."_

_"I am. Brooke Scott." She answered extending her hand out towards him which he graciously accepted._

_"I'm Julia..."_

_"Yes, I know you." She cut him off. He was just about to respond with a 'how' when she started up again. "Are you gay?" She asked brazenly._

_Julian nearly choked on his own spit. "I'm sorry, what?"_

_"Are you gay?" She repeated. "Because that is the only explanation I can come up with as to why you have not asked out my friend yet. I mean, the only other reasons would be because you're married or involved with someone else, but according to Haley, you're single. So, I'll ask again. Are you gay?"_

_"No. I am not gay." He affirmed sternly._

_"So, are you just not interested in her? And your answer better not be 'no' because how could you not be? Haley James is freaking amazing. She's intelligent, caring, sexy as hell, and way out of your league, by the way..." She began as he expelled a quiet chuckle. "So, are you not attracted to her or interested in her?"_

_"No, that's not the case at all. I am very interested in her." He answered._

_"Then, what's your problem? And don't give me that 'I'm nervous' crap, because that will SO not fly with me. You're the guy, and she's a very old-fashioned type of girl. If you want some reassurance then I'll give it to you. She's is totally interested in you which should be obvious but since it seems like I'm dealing with two completely oblivious people then I guess I do have to spell it out for you. Haley James likes you as in more than a friend, I want to date you, maybe marry you and have your babies types of likes you. So, be a man, grow a pair, and make the first move." She rattled off before turning around in a huff and marching away._

_Julian stared at her retreating form in complete shock over what had just transpired. He watched as she stopped and whipped her hair around her shoulder turning her head towards him. "It was nice to meet you, Julian Baker." She said before turning and marching away once again._

"Oh my gosh, are you serious?" Haley questioned feeling amused and embarrassed all in one. She couldn't believe Brooke would do something like that. Well, she could but she couldn't. Why was she so surprised, though? This was Brooke Davis they were talking about.

"She kind of scared me, to be completely honest." Julian admitted.

"Yeah, she has that affect with people." Haley laughed. "I am so sorry she cornered you like that. I asked her to keep out of it, and I had no idea she did anything like that. I am so sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not sorry. I'm actually glad she did what she did, because I don't know if I would have ever found the courage to ask you out. So, I'm actually grateful she cornered me." He responded.

"I'm glad, too." She said quietly as they shared a soft smile with one another.

An hour later, the duo made their way up the pathway towards Lucas and Brooke's house. "I had a really great time tonight, Julian." Haley said.

"I did, too. Do you want to do it again sometime? Sometime soon." He questioned.

"I would really like that." She replied and couldn't stop the smile stretching along her face.

"So, I guess this is the part of the night where I do the gentlemanly thing and say goodnight and give you a kiss on your cheek before walking away." He said.

"I guess you could do that." She agreed. "Or you co..." Before she could finish his lips were pressed to hers in a soft, delectable kiss. It had been so long since she kissed someone, and she had forgotten how wonderful and magical it could feel. He didn't try to push for anything more which she was actually grateful for. For a first kiss, it was perfect. And Julian was perfect. After a couple of seconds, he ended the kiss and backed away from her, and she immediately felt the loss. She subconsciously brought her fingertips up to her lips where they still had a tingling sensation running along them.

"Goodnight, Haley James." He said huskily.

"Goodnight, Julian Baker." She returned blushing before opening the front door quietly and heading inside.

Julian smiled and waited until she closed the door behind her before turning and walking back to his car.

* * *

><p>Nathan awoke feeling completely rested and full of energy. He glanced at the clock and noticed it was ten till noon. How in the world did he get to sleep in? He figured that Haley must have woken up with Sophie. But still…did she really let him sleep in this late? And how did he not wake up to the sound of Sophie crying? He must have been more exhausted than he thought.<p>

He pushed the comforter off of his body and climbed out of the bed. Just to double check, he made sure both Haley and Sophie were vacant from their bedrooms. Realizing they must be downstairs, he grabbed some clean clothes and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

Half an hour later, he was showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with a grey fleece sweatshirt over it and headed down the stairs. Easing his way down the stairs, though, he didn't hear any noise whatsoever. Normally, he'd hear the television on or Sophie's voice or some kind of ruckus, but right now, nothing. Passing through the living room, there was nobody there and all of Sophie's toys were put away as if they hadn't been touched since the previous day. Shrugging, he headed into the kitchen which was vacant as well. That's when he noticed a note written to him on the white erase board attached to the refrigerator.

_Nathan,_

_I didn't want to wake you-figured you could use a day to sleep in. I took Sophie to the café. We should be there until at least one._

_Haley_

Nathan smiled grabbing his keys from the hook, making sure he had his wallet, and headed out the door. Less than ten minutes later, he had arrived at the café. He grew confused when he didn't see Haley's car parked anywhere along the street near the buildings. _She said they would be here._ He thought to himself.

Pulling open the door, he instantly noticed Peyton sitting at the counter with Sophie in a highchair in front of her as Karen was standing behind the counter. "Hey, Nathan." She greeted when she noticed him making his way closer to them.

"Hey, Karen. Hey, Soph." He greeted kissing the girl on the cheek.

"I feel neglected." Peyton joked.

"Sorry. Hey, Peyton." Nathan greeted acknowledging the curly blonde.

"Hey, Nate." She returned.

Nathan looked around the café-the pretty much deserted café-and noticed Haley was nowhere to be found. "Where's Haley at?" He questioned.

"She didn't tell you?" Karen asked confusion lacing her voice. Nathan shook his head clearly completely out of the loop. "Well, you do know what today is, don't you?" She questioned as he once again shook his head. "Today's the anniversary of her mom's death. She was here for awhile with Sophie to eat some lunch, but we told her we would watch Sophie so she could go to the graveyard."

"Oh, I had no idea that Lydia died on this day. I wonder why she didn't tell me that." He said aloud more to himself rather than towards Karen or Peyton. "Hey, do you guys think you could watch Sophia a little bit longer?"

"Of course. We were planning on it anyway considering we didn't know you would be coming here." Peyton answered as she and Karen shared a knowing look.

"Thanks." He said quickly while rushing out of the café.

"Those two are silly. So silly." Karen said in a baby voice while tickling the little girl.

Nathan arrived at the graveyard just a few minutes later and searched among the headstones in pursuit of Haley. It was just a few rows down when he noticed her sitting on the grass in front of a headstone which he presumed was her mother's. "Hey."

Haley jumped startled at the newly arrived voice. She placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart taking a couple breaths before turning and noticing Nathan standing there with a bouquet of lilies. "Gosh, Nathan! Do not sneak up on someone like that. Especially in a cemetery." She chastised gently.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He apologized.

"What are you doing here?" She asked after collecting herself. She watched as he took a seat on the grass next to her and waited for him to answer.

"Just thought I'd pay my respects."

"You didn't even know my mother." She said incredulously.

Nathan shrugged placing the flowers down in front of the headstone next to another bouquet which he deduced Haley had brought with her. "Maybe I just thought I'd be here for you then." He said.

Haley couldn't help but smile at that. She noticed that he never looked at her when he said this but was still staring at the headstone. She decided against saying anything in response to his words. The two of them sat there in relative silence for a couple minutes longer before Haley spoke. "Brooke always came with me to the cemetery on this day. We actually made a day of it. We brought a blanket and packed some food in a little picnic basket and just sat here. We sat here for hours. Just talking and eating. Aside from Brooke, my mom was the most important person in my life. And Brooke was there for me throughout everything dealing with my mom. It's weird to be sitting here now without her. Without them."

"I'm sorry, Haley. I wish there was something I could do." He said feeling a sort of sympathy he had never felt before, and he didn't quite know what to do with it.

"You're doing it." She said softly catching his gaze.

"How did your mom die? If you don't mind me asking. I never really heard the whole story-mainly because I didn't care about anything concerning you." He teased as she furrowed her eyebrows at him before chuckling. "But really, how did she die?" He asked turning serious again.

"Cancer." She answered simply.

"Is that why you left school?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. She found a lump and had it checked out and sure enough, it was cancer. She couldn't pay for the house or the bills along with all of the medical expenses. It became too much for her so I left school and came back home to help her out. College would still be there. This was my mom, you know. I couldn't stay at Stanford knowing what she was going through. I had to do something."

"That's really admirable, Haley. Not too many people would have made that kind of sacrifice." He complimented.

"In my view, it wasn't a sacrifice. Was it hard some days? Extremely. But I had an amazing support system in Karen and Brooke and so many people. They made it easier on the days when it was difficult. But she was my mom, and she took care of me-with a struggle-all by herself for years until I left for college so it was time for me to return the favor. And I wanted to."

"I'm sorry I always gave you so much grief. I was an asshole back then." He berated himself.

"_Was_?" Haley teased smirking at him.

"Am." He corrected with a laugh.

"It's okay, Nathan. We weren't exactly best friends or friends even for that matter, and I gave you my own grief as well. I definitely dished it right back out so there's nothing really to apologize for. But thank you for apologizing. It means a lot. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry, too." She said.

"Well, we are quite the pair aren't we, Haley James?" He said leaning back on the palms of his hands as she followed suit.

"Yes, we are." She agreed.

"You didn't have to let me sleep in, though. I would have watched Sophie so you could come here."

"Oh, it's okay. Peyton called wanting to meet for some lunch, and I figured I could come to the cemetery later today, but both Karen and Peyton quickly jumped at the chance of watching Sophia. I tell you, Nathan, we have a good solid support system around us." She said.

"That's Tree Hill for you." He said as he pretty much made his decision quietly right then and there.

The two found themselves once again in a comfortable silence. The question Nathan had been dying to ask Haley was at the tip of his tongue, but he wasn't sure if now was the right time. Deciding to just go for it he asked, "So, how did your date go last night?"

"Oh." She said lamely having been caught off-guard. "It was good." She answered. She didn't know why, but she felt uncomfortable discussing this with Nathan. She felt as if she was doing something _wrong_ in a way which only confused her even more. She wasn't doing anything wrong at all, and she knew he probably didn't see it that either, but she still had the feeling.

"Good? That's all I get?" He laughed. He looked over to her and noticed she was staring straight ahead almost as if she was trying to purposely not look at him. He couldn't explain the want he had for her to say something more-anything more. It was as if he needed to know all of the details-everything that happened throughout their date.

The night before, he was a mess after he put Sophie to bed. He was pacing both the kitchen and living room floors while constantly glancing at the clocks. He told himself it was just because he was worried about her. She was out with a guy for the first time in awhile, and he just wanted to make sure she was okay.

Finally around nine-thirty, he retreated up to his bedroom and got ready for bed where sleep didn't come easily for him. It was half an hour later when he heard the door open and close followed by her footsteps climbing up the stairs. He thought about cornering her in the hall or in her bedroom for all of the details but realized that probably wouldn't go over too well with her. But now, he wanted some answers. No, he needed some answers.

"Are you guys going to go out again?" He asked.

"Umm, yeah. We haven't agreed on a specific date yet, but yeah, we're going to go out again." She answered. Still not looking at him, he noticed.

"Did he kiss you goodnight?" He asked wanting but not wanting to know the answer to that question. He watched as she stalled and started fidgeting with her hands. She was nervous. That right there gave him the answer, but he still wanted to hear it from her. "Did he?" He prodded.

"Yeah, he did." She answered awkwardly as an uncomfortable silence surrounded them this time.

"That, umm, that's good. I'm glad you had a nice night, Hales. You deserved it." He said sincerely.

"Thank you, Nathan." She said quickly finally looking at him as they shared a soft, timid smile.

* * *

><p>Haley arrived home ready to enjoy a nice, quiet evening to herself. Keith and Karen were watching Sophie for the night, and Nathan was at Jake's house with all of the guys enjoying a poker night. She had every intention of relaxing in a nice, hot bubble bath before going downstairs, popping in a romantic comedy-unsure of which one yet-and binging on ice cream and any other completely fattening junk food she could find.<p>

Setting her purse down on the couch, she noticed a red blinking light on the answering machine alerting to a new message. She pushed play while sitting on the couch slipping off her shoes.

_Nate, this is Clay. I've been trying to get in touch with you all day but your damn phone is turned off. How many times do I have to tell you to please never turn that thing off? What if it was an emergency, huh? What if I was dying or in dire need of your assistance in some way…_

Haley couldn't help but chuckle at this guy's dramatic words. Who was this guy?

_Anyway, I called to inform you that we have found some potential buyers interested in The Charlotte Bobcats so I need you to call me ASAP. We're going to need you to come back here and look over the applicants and make a decision, and then, you'll have to sign some documents. And we're also going to have to get rid of your apartment or something. So please call me back, man. By the way, I still think this is all a big mistake. Call me._

Haley couldn't believe what she had just heard. Nathan's _selling_ the team? His team. That can't be right. She had to have heard it wrong. But she didn't. How could he decide this without talking to her about it beforehand? How could he just make that decision? And more importantly, how could he just sign away his team just like that?

Since everything that has happened with Lucas and Brooke and Sophie, they hadn't actually taken the chance to talk things through. She knew they would eventually, but with so much time passed between then and now, she honestly forgot about it all. But she couldn't believe this. Nathan lived for The Bobcats, and he lived for basketball. Why would he give it away without-what seemed like-a second thought?

It was around one o'clock in the morning, when Nathan came walking through the door. Kicking off his shoes and hanging up his jacket on the coat rack, he headed through the foyer and saw the light from the living room still on. Arriving in the room, he noticed Haley sitting on the couch. "Hey, you're still up. Taking advantage of the childless and man less house, aren't you?" He joked.

Haley didn't say anything in response but turned her head and looked at him.

"Is everything okay?" He asked carefully. He couldn't quite decipher the look on her face. Was she angry, upset, sad, happy-he didn't know? He cautiously ventured closer to her.

"Clay called you and left a message." She said, and he instantly knew where this conversation was heading. He was mentally scolding himself for not charging his phone completely which caused it to die on him. He watched as she stood up from the couch and moved to stand directly in front of him. "Nathan, you can't sell the team." She said softly.

"Haley, I had a choice to make, and it was mine to make."

"No, it wasn't. Nathan, you can't make a choice like this without discussing it with me first." She argued.

"Actually, I can. This is my team, Hales. And I get to decide what to do with it."

"No, not anymore!" She exclaimed catching the both of them off-guard. She closed her eyes to compose herself before opening them again to look at him. "Nathan, this is your job. This is your dream. Basketball is your dream, and I can't let you give that up. What happened to Lucas and Brooke was out of our control, and now getting custody of Sophie was something we both agreed to. And just awhile ago, we also agreed to not let this stop us from living our lives and moving forward. You can't sell the team, Nathan. I can't let you do that."

"Well, what do you expect me to do, Hales? The travel back and forth is way too much, and I don't want to commute like that. And I can't walk away from Sophie now. I can't. She's my world, and y…" He paused trying to find the right words to say. "I can't, Hales. If I have to make a sacrifice to keep Sophie then I will. It's just like with you and your mom. I can handle it, because it will be worth it."

"Nathan, I can't let you do this. And the difference between the situation with me and my mom and this is that in this instance, you don't have to make a sacrifice." She argued.

"How? What am I supposed to do, Hales? Tell me what I'm supposed to do." He pleaded desperate for an answer. Either way, he would have to make a sacrifice, and he wanted to make the right one. So he didn't understand what she was going on and on about.

"It's simple. Sophie and I will go with you." She revealed almost casually shocking him completely.

**There you go. How much do you guys hate/love (maybe both) me right now? LOL! Please let me know what you think. I hope to have another chapter up for you guys soon. It may not be as quick as this one was, but it shouldn't be too long of a wait.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Back with another update! Can you believe it-already? LOL! I don't know what it is, but I have just been finding so much motivation (and time) this week to write and update quickly. ****This chapter is kind of a filler chapter, but I think it came out okay. Hopefully, you guys do, too.**

**As always, thanks to the many story alerts I have been receiving for this story. It's so wonderful to know people are interested in it. And a huge thanks to Sophiaaaaa, KaceyO, solo73, othfan48, illicitencounters, Ellie, GottaLuvNaley, JamesLover23, Steffsche, thekellay, mommyof3cutiestha, courtneylovejason, and naleyluv for taking the time to review. I have really enjoyed hearing your thoughts about the chapter along with the progression of the Naley relationship, etc. And thanks to the kind words I received about the last chapter, because being completely honest, I reread it just awhile ago, and I still am not 100% sure about it. I kept noticing some grammar/spelling mistakes, and I also felt like it was really rushed and jumbled together. So it was nice to at least know my readers still really enjoyed it.**

**I also hope you guys don't mind flashbacks and stuff like that. I've always been big into flashbacks while reading stories, and I know for some it may be sad to not have Lucas and/or Brooke in the story and actually having them be dead in the story so I think it's nice to still incorporate them somehow. And in this story and the direction I'm taking it, Lucas and Brooke play a pivotal role with Nathan and Haley as individuals as well as their venturing into something more. I find myself making more flashbacks of the Baley friendship rather than the Lathan relationship, and I was wondering if you guys wanted more Lathan stuff. I admit it's easier for me to write for the girls, but I guess that's the challenge of a writer to get out of the comfort zone. So, if that's something you would like to see more of (or less of), please let me know.**

**Okay, so without giving anything away but since some are inquiring a little information regarding Naley's relationship and stuff...I will tell you that it may not be incredibly soon. I have a few things planned before we get to the point of maybe something more serious such as sex...but I will offer up some spoilers of being on the lookout-maybe (just maybe) there might be a liplock or something in the very near future. ;) But also keep in mind that the slow progression of their relationship will still be in effect. Regarding how many chapters this story is going to entail-honestly, I'm not completely sure about that yet. I have actually written out a timeline of events (starting from the very beginning to the very end) so I _kind of_ have an idea of which each chapter will include. But I say kind of for the simple fact that sometimes while I'm writing or simply thinking about this story, I get another idea that I end up wanting to incorporate into the story. Usually I can easily incorporate them without adding a completely new chapter but sometimes not so I don't want to say an actual number. And it also depends on how long/short I want to make each chapter. Obviously the longer they are, the more points from my timeline I can include. But if I do get a pretty accurate number, I'll be sure to give you guys an update. I'm all about keeping my readers in the loop. I know what it feels like to be on the opposite side of the author, and I know what information I like to receive. But as always, feel free to ask me any types of questions via reviews and/or PMs, and I'll try to answer to the best of my abilities.**

**Anyway, enough talking. Hope you enjoy reading... :)**

"What did you just say?" Nathan asked. He couldn't have heard her right. No, he had to be imagining that.

"I said...it's simple. Sophie and I will come with you." She repeated.

Nathan took a moment to fully comprehend what she was saying. "Haley, you and Sophie can't move to Charlotte."

"Why not?" She asked as if she didn't understand what the big deal was.

"Do you even hear what you're saying right now? You are telling me that you're going to pack up your belongings, quit your job, leave all of our friends and family behind, and move to Charlotte. Just so that I can keep my job. Do you realize how crazy that is?"

"Your job is in Charlotte, Nathan. It's not like my job where I can pretty much move anywhere I want and be gaurenteed a job. Nurses are in high demand everywhere, and I don't think I would have a problem finding another job at a hospital in a city like Charlotte. What are you not understanding about this?" She countered.

"Haley, you're not thinking clearly."

"I didn't make this decision lightly, Nathan. It's not like I thought about it for five minutes and then just decided 'what the hell, let's move to Charlotte'. No, I've really thought about it. I listened to that message five hours ago, and I have been going over every aspect of this decision. I've weighed all of the pros and cons, and I honestly don't have any doubts about this decision. It makes sense to me." She argued.

"Well, it doesn't to me. Hales, after talking with you about your mom and the sacrifices you made for her I...I don't feel right about asking you to make another sacrifice for me. Can't you understand that? I can't ask you to do that." He said softly.

"Nathan..." She began taking his hands and leading him over to the couch as they both took a seat on it. "I don't see this as a sacrifice." Nathan opened his mouth to protest but she stopped him. "No, just listen to me, okay?" She said as he nodded. "You, me, and Sophie...we're a family now. A weird, unconventional type of family, but we are one. And right now, we need to make a decision that works best for us. I can relocate. You can't. We agreed to not let this situation stop either of us from moving forward and living our lives. I know how much basketball and the team means to you, and I don't want to be the one who takes that from you. Not when there's something that can be done."

"I hear you, but basketball doesn't mean nearly as much to me as Sophie does. I am willing to give it up-happily-to keep Sophie and raise her and be there for her day in and day out." He stated.

"But you don't have to choose. I want this. I want to do this for you and for Sophie and for me. You are not selling the team, and we are moving to Charlotte." She said sternly.

"You're being ridiculous!"

"And you're being stubborn!" She countered hastily jumping up from the couch which he quickly followed suit. "Okay, let me ask you something. If I was not in the picture, and it were just you and Sophie, would you even think about selling the team?" She challenged effectively shutting him up. "No, you wouldn't. In fact, you would probably already be in Charlotte. So the only factor here is me. And I am standing here in front of you telling you that I want to do this. I'm not thinking irrationally, and I'm not drunk or incoherent. I am completely sober and completely aware of what I am saying right now. And I don't have any doubts or negative feelings about this. This is a sacrifice that I am more than willing to make so why can't you just accept that?"

"What about Julian?" He questioned and almost choked on his own words.

Haley grew silent for a few seconds before answering. "I like him. I'm not going to lie. I like him a lot, and I think we could have had something really special, and maybe we could try the long distance thing. But right now, I have to do what is right for my family. And Julian isn't a part of that. He doesn't factor into this decision for me."

"And what about Keith and Karen. And Jake and Peyton and all of our other friends?"

"They will understand. It's not like we're moving far, and we can visit as often as we are able to. And they can come visit us. We can also do that camera, computer type thingy..."

"You mean Skype?" He chuckled amused.

"Yeah, that." She laughed rolling her eyes. "Nathan, we can do this. Come on, it's me. Do you really think I would offer to move if I didn't want to?"

"I guess not." He responded truly thinking about it.

"You're right. I wouldn't. Look, I have always been this rational, practical, plan everything out type of girl. My mom used to tell me that sometimes I just had to go with my gut on things, and I am doing that now, because my gut is telling me this is the right thing to do. And I have a really positive feeling about this. I really do. And I'll even make you a promise, if at any time while we are in Charlotte I regret this decision or want to move back home to Tree Hill, I'll be honest with you."

Nathan lulled over everything in his mind-weighing everything Haley had given as an argument and everything he had given as a counter argument. "Okay, if you're sure about this then I say let's do it."

"Yah!" She exclaimed jumping into his body throwing her arms around his neck.

Nathan was caught off-guard as she came barreling into him. He laughed wrapping his arms tightly around her waist and took a moment to really savor this feeling. He was practically lifting her off of the ground due to their considerate height difference. He got a whiff of her vanilla shampoo causing him to close his eyes at the sensations which were running through his body.

"We are not going to regret this, Nathan." She assured him backing out from his embrace just slightly. Her hands were now resting on his shoulders as his were still enclosed around her waist but not as tightly.

"Well, it's all on you if either of us do." He teased.

"Hmm, I think I can handle that. Now, go call that weird, overdramatic guy who left a message on the answering machine." She ordered as he chuckled breaking fully out of their embrace and walking towards the phone. "Oh, maybe I should talk to Karen first about our decision. I was thinking I could go pick up Sophie alone and discuss everything with her."

"I think that's a good idea." He agreed sending a nod her way while picking up the telephone.

* * *

><p>Haley didn't knock as she walked into the house. Making her way through the halls, she found Karen and Sophie sprawled out along the floor playing with some toys. "Hey, Karen."<p>

Karen turned around when she heard another voice and smiled seeing it was Haley. "Hey, Haley. You're a little early." She commented glancing at a nearby clock.

"Yeah, there's actually something I wanted to talk to you about." Haley answered. Her emotions were hard to decipher. It wasn't like she was nervous, because she really felt positive about this whole situation. But she also felt maybe a little timid was the right way to describe it.

Karen sensed the seriousness of this conversation and stood up from the floor. Making sure Sophie was busy away playing, she gestured Haley towards the couch. "Do you want something to drink?" She questioned as they plopped down onto the cushions.

"No, thanks." Haley politely declined.

"All right. What is it that you have to talk to me about?"

"Nathan and I, umm, we've decided to move to Charlotte." She revealed. Just like before with herself, she tried to decipher the emotions invading Karen's face. But she couldn't, and she felt uneasy about that.

"That makes sense." Karen finally said.

"It does?" Haley questioned more towards Karen than to herself.

"Of course. Keith and I have actually discussed this before. We knew there was a possibility of you two moving there since Nathan's work is there." Karen stated and saw the look on the other girl's face. "Hey, if you're worried about how Keith and I feel about this then don't. You guys have to do what works best for you. We are just the grandparents. Lucas and Brooke left Sophie to you, and it is now your decision on where you live and what you do. It would be the same if they were still alive and told us they were moving."

"I know. I just feel, I guess guilty about this in a way. I feel like I'm taking Sophie away..." Haley began as tears began to build up in her eyes. Karen quickly moved closer to the girl and put a comforting arm around her. "After losing Lucas and Brooke, I just don't want you to think I'm trying to cut you guys out of Sophie's life. She is your granddaughter and the most tangible thing you have left of Lucas and Brooke."

"Haley, we would never think that about you or Nathan. It's not like we're never going to see her. You can visit. We can visit. Charlotte isn't very far. Keith and I will be fine. We are fine with this decision. Like I said earlier, we have talked about this possibility. You need to do what's right for you guys." Karen said reassuringly.

Haley nodded and closed her eyes letting a couple of tears she was holding in finally fall. "Thank you for being so understanding, Karen."

The older brunette nodded her head. "Haley, I just have to ask you this. Are you sure this is what _you_ want to do?" She questioned.

"I am. I have a really positive feeling about this. And I feel in my gut that this is the right decision to make." Haley answered.

"You channeling Lydia there?" Karen teased.

Haley smiled, "You know me and my mother too well."

"I'm okay with this, but I am sure going to miss seeing you guys all the time." Karen said wrapping her arms around Haley pulling her into a hug. "I love you and Nathan so much, and I know you're going to take great care of my granddaughter. And you are by making this decision. You and Nathan are doing what you guys feel is right for Sophie and for yourselves."

"Thank you, Karen." Haley said softly.

* * *

><p>Balancing Sophie with her hand and her hip, Haley stood in front of the house which became her second home growing up. The big white house with the red door. It was beautiful-big and warm and inviting. At least that's how it appeared on the outside. Haley knew differently. On the inside of those doors, there was fighting and a young girl whose parents were always gone leaving her alone to basically fend for herself in every way except financially.<p>

Despite the bad, Haley experienced some really amazing times throughout her adolescent and teenage years. Heck, even her college years when she had to move back home and Brooke was still living under this roof. It was in Brooke's bedroom that Brooke gave Haley the details-every vivid detail-of the night she lost her virginity as well as her first time with Lucas. It was in Brooke's bedroom that Haley returned the favor-offering slightly less details-telling Brooke about the night she lost her virginity. This was the house Haley ran to after her father left her and her mother. This was the house Haley ran to after her mother took her final breath. This place held so many memories-good and bad.

She turned and caught site of the driveway. It was in that driveway where she and Brooke got into their first wreck. Brooke was driving, of course. Haley laughed aloud at the memory.

_"Brooke, I really don't think we should be doing this." Haley said sitting in the front passenger seat. She did not have a good feeling about this. She didn't when her friend swiped the keys from her mother's purse, and she didn't when she climbed into the silver BMW convertable closing the door behind her._

_"Oh, Haley, lighten up. You have to learn to live a little. Seize the day." Brooke rattled off buckling her seatbelt._

_"I just...this is against the law, Tigger." Haley whispered looking around as if someone was watching their every move. Brooke only had her learner's permit which meant she was only allowed to operate a vehicle with a licensed driver present. And Haley didn't even have her learner's permit yet. And even if she did, two learner's permits do not equal an actual license._

_Brooke laughed rolling her eyes at her friend. She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror before slipping on her sunglasses. She readjusted the mirror while looking over at Haley. "You ready to roll." She smirked._

_Haley quickly grabbed for her seatbelt fastening it into the buckle hearing it click confirming she had taken a mild precaution to this tremendously stupid idea. She listened as the engine started, and she couldn't help but feel a rush of adrenaline. Gosh, this was so stupid._

_Brooke shot her another quick smirk as she moved the gear into reverse. Taking her foot off the brake, she pushed it down onto the gas not factoring in the weight limit she used as the car went screeching backwards causing the two girls let out some loud screams. Haley flew her right hand against the passenger door while her left hand was clinging tightly to the cushion of her seat. Brooke was gripping the steering wheel so tight her knuckles were white and in instinct, she jerked her hand including the steering wheel to the left causing the whole car to turn. Their screams only grew louder when the car hit the mailbox behind them coming to an abrupt stop which flung the girls forward slightly._

_The two sat there silently staring straight ahead for what felt like several minutes. The only sound that could be heard was their heavy breathing. As their breaths became less erratic, they simulateously turned and looked at one another. The shock completely evident all over their faces. "Whoops." Brooke said with an innocent shrug of her shoulders. It was then that they caught site of Victoria Davis-aka Bitchtoria-standing on the front porch with a look on her face which neither had ever seen before._

Sophie's hand flying into her face caused Haley to snap out of her thoughts and kissed the little girl's hand. "Are you ready to do this, Sophie? Huh? Let's go see your other grandma. By the way, as you get older, you have to call Grandma Victoria that. It will drive her crazy." Haley joked-kind of-before bringing her hand up and using her finger to ring the doorbell.

A minute went by before the door finally swung open. "Haley, what a surprise." Victoria stated. "Is that my gorgeous granddaughter?" She asked noticing the little girl. Haley handed Sophie over to her as she immediately embraced the little girl in her arms. "Who's the most gorgeous baby in the world." She cooed in a baby voice.

Haley smiled at the sight. There were rare-very rare-moments like these when glimpses of what a genuine person Victoria Davis could be. She always felt that Victoria was the type of person who truly cared but had a hard time expressing it.

"Well, come in." Victoria chirped waving her hand. Haley chuckled and followed the older brunette into the house. Venturing through the living room, Haley noticed a few boxes packed lined up together. "Are you going somewhere?" She found herself asking.

"Oh..." Victoria stated lamely turning towards the other girl. "I'm actually glad you stopped by today, because there is something I wanted to tell you." She stated.

The two of them sat down on the couch as Victoria balanced Sophie on the tops of her thighs. "As you know, Brooke left me her clothing line." She began as Haley nodded. "COB was the one area of our relationship where we didn't argue." She said letting out a sardonic laugh. "You know Brooke and I have never had the easiest, closest relationship. The only time we really carried on a civilized conversation was when we were discussing the business. I always tried to convince Brooke to expand COB. I really tried persuading her to franchise the business to New York or California. And yes, I was thinking selfishly for the money."

Haley chuckled at her honesty.

"Well, Brooke never went for it. She said she didn't need anything bigger, and she had her quaint little business here in town and that was all she could have hoped for. I really had no choice in that matter and had to accept it. Now, I have this company that was my daughter's, and I didn't really know what to do with it. This was Brooke's. And despite everything, I really do love my daughter, Haley."

"I know that, Victoria." Haley quickly reassured.

"I believed in her designs. Brooke was so incredibly talented and along with my selfish reasons, I believed she deserved to be recognized in a great way, and I believed she deserved to be bigger than some quaint clothing store owner in some small, boring town." Victoria said causing Haley to once again let out a small laugh. "I want to do something in memory of my daughter. So...I'm going to expand the company. I already have some investors interested in the line, and I am moving it to New York, and we'll go from there. I still have all of Brooke's old designs along with a plethora of new ones which were never executed, and it's a great starting point for an expansion."

"I think that's a great idea, Victoria." Haley praised just as Sophie began to fuss. Victoria set her down on the carpet to let her crawl around as the two girls kept watchful eyes over her while continuing their conversation. "I think Brooke would want that for you. She signed her company-her designs-which meant the world to her over to you. She trusted you enough to do that. So I know she would be okay with whatever you decide to do with the company. She loved you, Victoria. Despite the relationship between you two, she loved you. And she was proud to start a company with the help and support of her mother."

"Thank you, Haley." Victoria said in appreciation. "You were a good friend to my daughter. You were there for her when her father and I weren't, and I just want to thank you for that. I don't think she would have turned into the beautiful, vibrant woman she was if she didn't have you in her life growing up. She loved you. Just...thank you."

The two women shared a soft smile of understanding.

"So not that I'm complaining or anything, but what brings you by today?" Victoria asked.

"Nathan and I are taking Sophie and moving to Charlotte since his team is there, and I just wanted to come and tell you in person." Haley answered.

"I appreciate that, and I also think it's a great move for you guys. You know, I always felt there was something between you and that boy. You fight way too much." Victoria smirked.

"Oh my gosh, you and Brooke are exactly alike." Haley laughed her face flush with embarrassment. "And FYI, there is nothing going on between me and Nathan." She added quickly.

"Whatever you say, Haley James."

"Bitchtoria is back in full swing." Haley muttered under her breath teasingly.

"I always hated that nickname." Victoria commented. "Who created it?"

"Brooke." Haley smiled.

"Figures." Victoria laughed.

* * *

><p>Nathan stood in front of the big house he lived in growing up and hated. He juggled the keys in his hands trying to decide whether or not he should just walk in or knock. Maybe he would get lucky and nobody would be home. Who was he kidding? He wasn't that lucky. But hopefully, someone up there was looking out for him and at least his dad wouldn't be home. He figured his mom was home. Heck, she was probably inside nursing another bottle of wine as he spoke.<p>

Bringing his right hand up, he knocked on the large wooden door and waited with great apprehension. It was just seconds later when the door swung open, and his father appeared on the other side. "Well, well...if it isn't my son the failure."

"It's always a pleasure to see you, Dad." Nathan bit out.

"What do we owe the pleasure of your company? I mean, we must have won the lottery or something considering you make it a point to avoid us at all costs. So again I'll ask, what do we owe this pleasure?"

"I left some stuff here, and I need to go upstairs and get it. Now if you'll excuse me." Nathan said pushing his way into the house leaving his smirking father behind. Not looking back, he headed up the stairs and into his old bedroom making sure to close the door behind him. He instantly began gathering some items of clothing as well as a few other knick knacks and stuffing them into some bags.

Having everything he needed for the time being, he picked up his bags and turned towards the door. Just as he was getting ready to open his door, a picture on his dresser caught his eye. Dropping his bags, he picked up the frame. The picture was of Lucas, Brooke, Haley, and him from their wedding. Lucas and Brooke were standing in the middle with Nathan next to Lucas and Haley next to Brooke. He had to admit the picture came out nicely. He looked good-naturally. He thought smugly. And Haley-God, she looked incredibly beautiful that day. She and Brooke were both glowing in the picture. That was a good day.

_Nathan stood by the bar nursing a beer surveying all of the guests. The reception hall was packed with people scattered all over-on the dancefloor, in the chairs at the tables, by the bar...everywhere. The smell of roses mixed with the smell of burning candles wofted through the room creating a warm, inviting essance. The lights were dimmed offering a romantic type of setting which seemed fitting at the moment because of the slow song which was currently playing._

_Taking another sip of his beer, he watched as his brother walked up and stood next to him by the bar asking the bartender for a beer for himself. Once he held it in his hands, he turned around so he could survey the guests as well. "That was a nice speech you gave. I didn't know you had it in you, bro. I love you, too." Lucas joked laughing._

_"Thanks for using that against me." Nathan deadpanned shaking his head._

_"Sorry, but I couldn't resist." Lucas stated taking a gulp of his beer. "You having a good time?"_

_"Yup. As long as my parents stay on that..." Nathan began gesturing towards Dan and Deb who were sitting at a table talking to another couple, "side of the room, then I'm good."_

_"I know I sound like a broken record, but thanks again for keeping your distance from them. I just don't want any drama today, and Brooke has been stressing about this ever since...well, you know." Lucas said pointing towards his bandaged up hand. "I still can't believe you punched Dan. Especially to the extent of actually breaking your hand. That must have been one hell of a hard punch."_

_"The bastard had it coming. He had no business saying those things." Nathan responded feeling his anger resurfacing as the memory of that confrontation began replaying in his head. Gosh, he hated his father._

_"Yeah, Dan's a dick." Lucas added. He looked over and observed his brother's features. His face was rigid with his jaw locked. "You know, you took what Dan said pretty seriously."_

_"And?"_

_"Well, it just sort of amuses me considering who Dan was talking about." Lucas began smirking as Nathan didn't say anything. He just brought the bottle up to his mouth taking another sip. "I mean, this is the girl who you go out of your way to make your own nasty comments to, but Dan says a few things, and you completely lose your cool."_

_"Dan also said shit about you and Lucas." Nathan defended himself._

_"True, but that's not anything new. Dan always talks crap about us, and you've never gone to the extent of actually hitting him...but he says something about Haley, and you go all Rocky on him."_

_"Lucas." Nathan warned._

_Lucas put up his hands in mock surrender, "Hey, it was just an observation."_

_"You never told anyone about that, right? And by anyone, I mean Brooke." Nathan asked quietly._

_Lucas couldn't help but smirk. "No, man." He answered. He felt bad about lying to his brother, but he knew him well enough to know it was in both of their best interests to keep that fact to himself...and Brooke. He just prayed that his wife actually learned how to keep her own mouth shut on this matter and didn't go blabbing to her best friend. Speak of the devils. He smiled as Brooke and his Haley came upon them._

_"Well, hello, my sexy husband." Brooke greeted wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly on the lips. "I love saying that!" She squeaked._

_"And I love hearing you say that." Lucas said huskily leaning in to kiss her once again._

_"And I loved when you two didn't nauseate me." Nathan mumbled taking the final swig of his beer as he felt a slap on the side of his arm. He looked over and noticed Brooke bringing her hand back to wrap around Lucas who she was engaged in a liplock with. He rolled his eyes and turned back towards the bar asking for another beer._

_"And for the beautiful bridesmaid?" The bartender asked as Haley came to stand on Nathan's other side._

_She smiled sweetly at the tall, good-looking blonde behind the counter, "I'll have a glass of White Zinfandel please."_

_"Coming up." He said winking at her before turning to fetch their drinks._

_"Hales." Nathan said acknowledging her presense._

_"Nathan." She returned. Her glass of wine was placed in front of her as she smiled appreciatively-flirateously-at the bartender._

_"Are you finished flirting with him now?" Nathan questioned with a scoff._

_"Why? Are you jealous?" She challenged smirking._

_"No, I am not jealous. I just figured my comment after the ceremony was getting to you, and you have found yourself becoming desperate for any type of male attention. I mean, really, Hales. If you're this desperate we could head over to the bathrooms right now and have a quickie in one of the stalls. I'll give it to you so good that will have you screaming my name so loudly, and you'll definitely get the male companionship you're so desperately seeking." He said smugly as she looked at him disgusted._

_In that moment, More Than Anyone by Gavin DeGraw began playing through the speakers. "Oh, I love this song. Come dance with me, Broody." Brooke demanded._

_"Of course." Lucas replied setting his beer on the bar counter._

_"You guys, too." Brooke said pointing towards Nathan and Haley._

_"I think we're good, Tigger. You and Lucas go." Haley said._

_"Nonsense. You two get your butts out here right now! It is required that the best man and the maid of honor share at least one dance at the reception." Brooke said sternly and waited. When neither one made the motion she added, "I am not taking no for an answer so either go out there willingly or I'll drag you out there myself. With Lucas' help, of course. Right, __hubby?"_

_"Right." Lucas agreed._

_Nathan sighed as Haley rolled her eyes in irritation. They both took a big gulp of their drinks before placing them on the counter. He held out his left hand which she "graciously" accepted as he lead them towards the dancefloor with Lucas and Brooke following close behind them smiling triumphantly._

_Arriving in the center of the dancefloor, both couples turned towards one another as Lucas and Brooke immediately moved into one another's embrace and began dancing to the music._

_Nathan smiled smugly at Haley who only scoffed in annoyance. She stepped further into his embrace. He wrapped his right, bandaged up hand around her waist as she wrapped her left arm around his neck and placed her right hand in his left hand. The two began swaying softly and slowly to the song._

_Haley couldn't help but think about what Brooke had told her earlier when they were taking pictures. She wanted to ask Nathan about the incident with his father, but she didn't want to break her friend's trust. And she also didn't want to start a fight with Nathan which she knew would happen if she mentioned anything about it. She wondered if she could get him to open up to her on his own, though. Doubtful but worth a try. "How's your hand?" She asked quietly._

_"It's fine." Nathan answered quickly hoping she wouldn't go any further with the subject._

_"You ever going to tell me what the argument was between you and your father?" She questioned slyly._

_"Nope." He said popping the 'p'._

_Haley couldn't help but smile rolling her eyes playfully. She still couldn't believe he hit Dan because of her. It seemed so ridiculous considering how many times he had actually made digs at her himself, and she didn't understand it whatsoever. __Thinking about it was actually giving her a headache so she figured it was best to just put it behind her. He would probably never admit what really happened to her, and she would never bring it up as long as he never did so it was really a moot point. "The wedding was beautiful." She gushed._

_Nathan didn't respond; he just nodded in agreement._

_"They look so happy and in love." She continued gesturing towards Lucas and Brooke who were dancing just a couple feet away from them looking into each other's eyes smiling. "Do you ever think about settling down, Nathan?"_

_"What?" He asked confused. What would posses her to ask him that?_

_"I'm serious. Don't you get tired of going from one girl to another engaging in meaningless sexual encounters? Don't you ever think about actually finding someone and getting married and one day having children?"_

_Nathan took a couple seconds and thought about her questions. Was that something he really was interested in? While his brain searched for an answer, his eyes caught sight of his father who was staring directly at them. More importantly, he was staring at Haley and smirking. Nathan instinctively pulled her closer and turned them slowly so that she was now out of his father's view._

_"So...are you going to answer any of my questions?" She questioned looking up and catching his gaze as the two of them stared at one another for several seconds._

_Nathan was blown away by how beautiful she looked right now with her big, brown eyes staring up at him as a small tendril of her blonde hair was falling over her forehead which had him itching to reach up and brush it away. He felt something stirring in his stomach as he continued getting lost in her beauty._

_"So?" She prodded snapping him back into reality._

_"No, I don't. I like my life and getting attached to someone just leads to trouble. I have no desire to get into a serious relationship with some girl who's inedibly going to become way to clingy and expect a ring and a commitment. It's way too suffocating for my liking. Besides...I doubt I'd ever meet a woman who would actually make me want to settle down with." He said looking into her eyes._

_The song ended causing them to shake away whatever that was that just happened between them as they broke apart and immediately headed back to the bar instantly grabbing their previous drinks which were still sitting on the counter and taking a sip of them._

Nathan smiled before sighing and setting the picture frame back down on his dresser. His cell phone started ringing, and he reached into his jeans pocket pulling it out. He instantly smiled again seeing Haley's name along with a picture he recently took of her and Sophie flashing across the screen. "Hey." He greeted into the phone.

"Hi." She returned smiling as she rummaged through the refrigerator for something to drink. "Where are you?" She questioned.

"I'm at my parent's house." He answered with a less than thrilled voice which she immediately caught. "I had to pick up some stuff that I left from the last time I was staying here since we are leaving soon." He added hoping she wouldn't ask him any further questions since she had a knack for trying to pry into his personal life.

"That's good. Well, I talked to Karen, and she was very supportive of our decision." She informed him.

"I figured she would be." He responded.

"Yes, you were right." She said shaking her head as she could practically see him smiling smugly through the phone. "I also went and talked to Victoria."

"Really? How did that conversation go?" He asked surprised.

"Actually, it went really well. She's moving to New York to expand Brooke's clothing line."

"Wow. That's something." He stated.

"That what I thought. I told her it was a really good idea." She said as she opened up the cupboard and tried reaching for a glass. "Damn it!" She cursed.

"What's wrong?"

"I need you tallness. When are you coming home?" She pouted.

Nathan chuckled. "Soon. I'm pretty much done here. Now I just have to try to get down the stairs and out that front door without a run in with dear old dad." He said.

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to come over and run interference? I think I could totally take your parents." She mildly joked.

"I'm sure you could, but no. You don't need to be anywhere near them." He said.

Haley could practically hear the resentment and bitterness in his voice. She wished she could do something for him, but it was hard when he wouldn't open up to her. She didn't know what she had to do to prove that he could trust her and confide in her. She wanted that so badly. Maybe it would help her understand him better. "Have you told them about us moving to Charlotte?" She questioned.

"I would really rather not get into that discussion with them. They'll find out eventually after we are out of town, and I think that would be better for all of us." He answered. Nathan knew telling Dan and Deb would lead to a discussion-more like argument-about basketball which would lead to Dan harping on him for being a great failure which would lead to Deb popping open another bottle of wine which would lead to another two years-at least-where he refused to return any of their calls or e-mails or letters along with total avoidance when visiting Tree Hill. Yeah, he wasn't about to go down that road again. "Anyway, I should be home soon." He said changing the subject.

"Good." She replied accepting his obvious want at changing the subject. "Oh, I picked up some boxes today on my way home so maybe we could start packing tonight. I am so wired right now and couldn't fall asleep if my life depended on it. Besides...I really can't wait to start packing things. Have I ever told you how much I hate living here?" She asked rhetorically. "It's like a freaking shrine dedicated to them. There are pictures everywhere along with all of their belongings. And I can still smell them, too. I really hate it here."

Nathan listened to her and couldn't help but agree one hundred percent. "Me, too." He admitted softly.

"Do you know how much better that makes me feel?" She asked. "I thought maybe it was just me, and then, I couldn't help but feel guilty for feeling this way."

"No, it is definitely not just you. You know, if you are having second thoughts about this, we could just sell their house and move into a different one."

"Nathan." She sighed in annoyance.

"What? I just want to make sure you're completely sure with your decision. Are you?" He questioned.

"If you ask me that again, I'm going to punch you in the face." She answered.

"Noted." Nathan said as they both laughed. "Well, I better let you go. I'll see you when I get home."

"Okay. Bye, Nathan."

"Bye, Hales."

**There you go. Please let me know what you guys think! Hopefully, I'll have another chapter for you guys soon. I feel like I'm a writing machine right now. LOL! I think (_think_) I'll have another chapter for you guys on Saturday. That's the goal I'm aiming for myself anyway. We'll see how that one goes. :) But I am hopeful. Well, anyway, until the next time. And if I don't, have a wonderful weekend everyone!**

**Also, just another little note...I might be changing the rating of this story to M soon. Not saying anything like that will be happening soon, but I just thought I'd do it now before maybe I forget when/if the time comes. And just so I know (everyone usually has different opinions on these types of situations, and I wouldn't want to lose any readers or make anyone uncomfortable) for future reference, do you guys enjoy a little more details in terms of sexual encounters? I don't know how I am going to write anything out yet in terms of that, but I would like to know your thoughts and feelings about it. And also, even after changing the rating to M, do you guys still prefere a warning in the beginning of the chapter? I wasn't planning on doing that (to add to the surprise more), but if people want that then I certainly have no probably doing so. Thanks in advance. :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**It's Saturday so I'm back with an update! :) As always thank you for all of the story alerts I'm receiving for this story. And a huge thanks to Steffsche, courtneylovejason, Ellie, forhimonly67, othfan48, illicitencounters, oliviaajee101, GottaluvNaley, rosepetal16 (also for chapter 13), thekellay, JamesLover23, and Skittlesgurl87 for taking the time to review. Your amazingly kind words are so awesome and help keep me motivated. Thanks so much.**

**Sorry, this chapter isn't as long as the previous other two.**

**So not really too much to say so how about we just get reading…**

_November 6, 2011_

The black Chevrolet Equinox pulled up in front of the Metro 808 apartments in Uptown North Carolina. Haley opened the passenger door stepping out of the vehicle staring at one of the most gorgeous buildings she had ever seen in front of her. "Wow." She gushed.

"Yeah, it's something." Nathan said coming to stand next to her.

"This is where you live?" She questioned.

"This is home." He confirmed.

A man in a black valet suit approached the two with a giant smile displayed on his face, "Mr. Scott, it's nice to see you back here with us." He said extending his hand.

"It's good to see you, Josh." Nathan returned graciously shook the hand in front of him. "Josh, this is Haley James. She's going to be moving here with me. Haley, this is Josh Taylor."

"Yes, I had received word about that this morning. We are in the process of duplicating another key for you guys. It's nice to meet you and have you staying with us, Haley."

"Likewise." Haley stated shaking his hand.

"So do you guys have some stuff that needs unpacked and brought up to your apartment?" Josh asked.

"We have a few items, and if you guys could just put them in one of the spare bedrooms for right now that would be great. A U-haul with the rest of our items will be arriving in a couple days." Nathan answered.

The three of them said their goodbyes as Nathan lead Haley into the building offering out a hello and an introduction to the concierge before stepping onto the elevator before they rode up to the fourth floor. Haley continued to gush over everything as Nathan couldn't help but smile at her. The two arrived in front of a door with the letter and number 4D as he used his key to unlock the door and open it up to them. _It did feel really good to be back home._ He thought.

Haley walked into the apartment blown away by the size of this place. _Was this really just an apartment?_ "This place is amazing. I think I could fit my entire old apartment in just the living room. Did you really need all of this space for just yourself?" She questioned as she surveyed the details and decorum. This place was definitely a bachelor pad before.

"Of course, I didn't need it. I just wanted it." He smirked. "Come on..." He said taking her hand, "I'll show you the rest of the apartment."

Showing her the kitchen and dining room as well as the two spare bedrooms which one was currently set up as an extra bedroom while the other one was set up as an office as well as showing her the bathroom and the laundry room before finally taking her to the other side of the apartment where the master bedroom/bathroom was located. "And this is your bedroom." He said.

"Nathan, I can't take your bedroom. This place is yours, and you shouldn't give up your room." She declined.

"Hales, you are taking the bedroom. You agreed to move here, and you are the one who's making this sacrifice..."

"I already told you, it's no..."

"Stop." He interrupted causing her to stop protesting. "You gave up your life in Tree Hill for me, and this is the least I can do. And I want to do it. You'll have your very own bathroom. Plus, you have way more clothes and shoes than I do so it's only natural that you take the bigger closet." He teased.

"That's true." She agreed grinning. "Are you sure, Nathan?"

"Definitely." He answered. "So how about we go grab something to eat cause I'm starving." He began as she nodded in agreement. "And then go buy some paint and supplies as well as whatever other stuff we have to get. Hales, I want you to feel at home here, and I know it looks more like a guy's apartment right now."

"Kind of." She stated playfully.

Nathan couldn't help but laugh. "Feel free to change anything around or add anything. This place is ours now and please feel free to make it more homely for you and for Sophie."

"Really? Because this place is a little dull, and I would be happy to make it livelier." She smiled.

"Whatever you want, Hales." He laughed. "We should probably baby proof things as well so we will need to pick up some stuff for that also. Man, this list of ours seems to be growing by the minute."

"Yup. We should probably get a move on it if we want to have everything painted and set up before going back to Tree Hill to get Sophie." She said grabbing her purse and following him out the door locking it behind them.

* * *

><p>Nathan grabbed a beer from the refrigerator popping off the tab taking a long sip from the bottle. He let out a refreshing sigh. He had just finished setting up his "new" bedroom and taken a quick shower and intended to sit back and relax.<p>

The day before, he and Haley had cleared out and painted the room he was using as an office which was now going to be Sophie's bedroom. They let the paint dry through the night, and earlier this morning, they put the new pieces of furniture together before Haley kicked him out of the bedroom saying she wanted to put it together herself and surprise him.

Just as he was making his way towards the living room to catch up on the latest game on ESPN, a knock sounded on the door. He swung it open being instantly greeted with his agent slash friend.

"Hey, Nate. Welcome home." Clay greeted stepping into the apartment.

"Sure, come in." Nathan said sarcastically yet jokingly.

"Dude." Clay said laughing as he observed the rooms. He turned towards the brunette with a questioning look on his face. "What the hell happened to your apartment? It looks like a chick lives here."

"A chick does live here. And her name is Haley-not chick." Nathan bit out closing the door behind him.

"Yes, Haley." Clay said slapping his hands together and rubbing them. "Where is she? It's time for Clay to determine how hot and doable she is." He smirked.

Nathan shot him a glare. "Don't even think about it, Clay." He warned.

"Why? Are you finally sleeping with her?"

"Clay!" Nathan exclaimed in irritation. "We are not sleeping together! And you won't try to either if you know what's good for you. Got it!"

Clay held up his hands, "Got it. Dude, you're so touchy."

Nathan rolled his eyes walking back into the kitchen. "You want a beer?"

"Sure." Clay answered following him into the other room. "So where is Haley?"

"She's finishing Sophie's room." He answered opening the refrigerator door grabbing another beer closing the door behind him while handing it to Clay. "We have to drive back to Tree Hill tonight. Sophie has been staying with her grandparents while we've been finishing up the apartment. We're going to stay at Keith and Karen's house tonight since we were able to sell the other house so quickly and drive back here tomorrow morning."

"Well, aside from meeting Haley of course, there's actually another reason I stopped by. We have a marketing meeting on Monday morning at nine."

"I'll be there. I have to admit it's going to be nice to get back into work again." Nathan admitted.

"And does getting back into work again mean hitting up the gym for you again?" Clay asked smirking and slapped him on the stomach. "You're looking a little flabby there, Nate."

"Shut up." Nathan laughed. "Besides, I know I look good." He said smugly as the two went into the living room and took a seat on the couch. "How's life been going for you here?"

"Same as always-girls, parties, and sports. What else is there?" Clay asked rhetorically taking a sip of his beer. "You miss it?" He questioned.

Nathan turned and looked off in the distance. _Did he miss it?_ He wasn't sure if he knew the answer to that question or not. He wouldn't trade Sophie for anything, but sometimes he couldn't help but miss the old days. Not necessarily for the girls or the parties or for basketball, but in the old days…Lucas was still there.

_Nathan dropped his bags onto the floor and plopped himself onto the bed reaching for the remote control and turning on the television. He was currently at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. He and Lucas had just arrived at the hotel from a Charlotte Bobcat's basketball game earlier._

_Lucas walked out of the bathroom and plopped down on the bed next to the one Nathan was currently laying on. "That was an awesome game."_

"_It definitely was." Nathan agreed. "You nervous about tomorrow?" He questioned after a couple of silent minutes._

"_Yeah. You?" Lucas asked._

_Nathan nodded, "I don't know, man. I can't have HCM. I need to play basketball. It's my way out of that house, and it's my life."_

"_Leave it to Dan-the man who wanted no part of me until recently-to be the reason I may have a heart defect." Lucas laughed sardonically. "Does Dan or Deb know the real reason why we came up here this weekend?"_

"_No. My mom wasn't home for me to tell her so she doesn't really need to know about this. And Dan…well, I just don't really want to deal with him right now. He probably would have come as well, and I really don't want him here." Nathan answered. "What about you? Did you tell anyone?"_

"_I told Brooke. Neither my mom nor Keith know. I figured I'd wait until the test results come back to drop this bomb on them. But I had to tell Brooke." Lucas said as Nathan nodded in understanding. "It may sound ridiculous considering we're only in high school, but she's my life. And I don't want to keep any secrets from her. We just started dating exclusively, and I don't want to jeopardize it. Plus, I needed her support."_

"_What about basketball? Are you nervous about not being able to play anymore?"_

"_Not really. I mean, I'll definitely miss it. I love playing basketball, and it will suck to not be able to play with the team anymore, but it's not my future. Unlike you, I play basketball more out of hobby and passion rather than because I want something more out of it like playing in college or in the NBA." Lucas replied._

"_Well, you're kind of lucky." Nathan stated._

_Lucas looked at him confused and urged him to explain that._

"_Obviously not because of the HCM but because of basketball. I want the NBA so bad, and I honestly don't know what I'd do if I couldn't play. Ever since finding out about Dan's heart defect, I've been stressing so much. I keep going over and over the probability of actually having HCM, and it's just…" He began shaking his head, "I almost didn't come here to take the test. I didn't want to know. It's like…if I don't know the results then I don't have to do anything about it. I don't have to quit basketball. I don't have to give up my dream. I don't have to disappoint Dan. It would have been much easier."_

"_The reverse of possibly dropping dead on the court sounds so much more appealing." Lucas countered._

"_I know."_

"_So what made you decide to actually come and get tested?" Lucas inquired._

"_Honestly, I have no idea." Nathan chuckled lightly. "I guess just one day I knew I had to find out. I love the game and don't know what I'd do without it, but I also can't gamble with my life like that." He finished._

"_Well…may the best brother win." Lucas declared teasingly as the boys laughed before flipping through the channels to find a game to watch._

"Sometimes." Nathan answered vaguely offering up nothing further which seemed to be a good enough answer for Clay since he just nodded.

The two guys sat there for an hour longer before they heard the door to the back bedroom opening. "Nathan! I am finally do…" Haley began as she came rushing into the living room only to pause when she noticed the additional person. "Oh, hi." She said subconsciously glazing down at herself. She was in a ratty, worn out black t-shirt with splatters of pain all over it and a pair of old gray sweatpants which weren't the most flattering on her. Her hair was up in a bun but half of it was falling out. She knew she looked like a hot mess.

Nathan chuckled at Haley's obvious discomfort as he and Clay stood up from the couch. "Hales, this is Clay Evans. He used to be my agent and now helps with scouting players for the team. Clay, this is Haley James." He introduced.

Clay smirked as he looked Haley up and down and didn't even try to be discrete about it which caused even more discomfort for her. "It's nice to finally meet you, Haley James." He said extending his hand towards her.

Haley hesitantly accepted the gesture and had to hold off an eye roll as he let his grasp on her linger just awhile longer as well as winking at her.

"Nathan talks about you all the time." He added.

A big, boisterous smile formed from her lips as she glanced over towards Nathan, "Oh, he does, does he?"

"No, I don't. Clay just thinks he's funny." Nathan bit out.

"I am funny. I'm a funny dude." Clay said.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Clay." Haley said sparing Nathan anything further.

"Well, I better go and let you two _rest_…" He began sending a small smirk Nathan's way in which the brunette did actually roll her eyes, "since you have to drive back to Tree Hill tonight. Haley, it was a pleasure and hopefully, we'll be able to meet again soon."

Nathan lead Clay towards the door as Haley walked further into the living room until something caused her to stop. "Dude, she's totally doable." She heard in the distance as her cheeks grew flush with appropriate embarrassment. But she did have to admit considering how _lovely_ she looked at the moment, it was comforting to hear a compliment-a crude one, but a compliment no less.

"I'm sorry about him." Nathan apologized arriving back in the room.

"It's okay." Haley dismissed. "He's…nice."

"You'll get used to him. He's always like that."

"Oh, joy. Really, you must invite him over soon, because I simply can't wait to see him again." She joked as he laughed at her sarcasm. "But enough about that…I finished Sophie's bedroom. Come on!" She exclaimed grabbing his hand and pulling him through the hallway with much exuberance.

Nathan followed her into the bedroom and stopped to look around. "This…" He began as his eyes darted around the room.

The espresso colored crib was sitting diagonally against one of the corners of the bedroom. The sheet was an espresso color with rows of small diagonal dots in colors of light pink, bright pink, light blue, bright blue, light green, and bright green with a padded base running along the interior of the crib to protect Sophie from hitting the wooden rails. There was a quilt dangled across the front of the crib which was white on the visible side and bright pink on the opposite. On the white side, there were four lines each with a different color and pattern forming a rectangle in the center.

An espresso colored rocking chair with light pink fabric as well as a rocking ottoman of the same nature was in the other corner parallel to the crib with a window adorned with pale pink interior curtains and pale green exterior curtains on the wall separating the two items. A pillow with the same look and pattern as the quilt was placed on the seat cushion and braced upward against the back cushion of the chair. An espresso brown nightstand was next to the chair with a small lamp, a baby monitor, and a picture of Lucas and Brooke sitting on the surface. Nathan couldn't help but smile at that.

Flat up against the wall by the crib sat an espresso colored dresser with a mirror connected to it. The surface acted as a changing table with a thick pale pink cushion and a brown wicker basket with pale pink trimming full of diapers, baby wipes, lotion, and other products sitting on top. A pale blue diaper genie sat in the corner next to the dresser with a smaller espresso colored shelf next to it along the connecting wall displaying books, a piggy bank, and other little knick knacks. A couple pictures of Sophie sat along the surface of the shelf.

Along the wall in between the closet and the rocking chair, two espresso colored shelves were nailed halfway up the wall one higher than the other. The higher shelf held lower cased white letters which spelled out 'sophie'. The lower shelf held a picture of Nathan, Haley, and Sophie from the little girl's first birthday party along with a two picture photo frame-one side displaying Sophie's handprints with the other side displaying her footprints.

"This looks amazing, Hales." Nathan gushed turning towards her. Seeing everything they purchased the previous day actually set up was much better than he thought. He wasn't exactly known for his decorating skills so as Haley kept picking items out, he simply trusted her. And he definitely was right in that.

"It does, doesn't it." She said smugly.

"Sophie's going to love it." He stated looking around the bedroom again. "It feels like home here now, doesn't it."

They turned towards one another sharing a soft smile. "It does." She agreed.

* * *

><p>Nathan lay quietly on the bed staring up at the ceiling as Sophie was sleeping peacefully next to him. He was waiting for Haley to finish in the bathroom and come to bed. They were sharing for the night considering there was only one extra bedroom in Keith and Karen's home. He offered to sleep on the couch, but she told him that wasn't necessary.<p>

It was so good to be with Sophie again. He and Haley had missed her terribly the past couple of days. They arrived in Tree Hill just minutes before Karen was going to put Sophie to bed. Keith, Karen, Nathan, and Haley played with her for awhile before relenting and heading to bed. While Haley was changing into her pajamas, Nathan held the little girl in his arms until she fell asleep and instead of placing her in her pack 'n' play he placed her in the center of the bed next to him wanting her to sleep with them for the night.

The door to the bedroom creaked open quietly revealing a small shadow of light in the doorway. Nathan looked to his right and saw Haley's back to him closing the door behind her. The first thing he noticed was that she was wearing a pair of short black shorts. He was starting to think she truly enjoyed torturing him. He watched as she turned around, and that's when he noticed the blue Bobcats sweatshirt she was wearing. _His_ blue Bobcats sweatshirt to be exact which of course caused a smirk to form from his lips. She looked damn good wearing his clothes.

"Sorry for stealing your sweatshirt. But I was cold, and it was lying right on top of your bag. I didn't really feel like sifting through the bags to find one of my own. I hope you don't mind." She whispered.

"Not at all." He enunciated slowly still smirking.

Striding over to the bed, she pulled back the comforter and carefully climbed into the bed trying not to wake Sophie. After getting herself comfortable, she laid still on her left side. It was quiet as they both laid there motionless in a comfortable silence. Haley smiled at the sleeping baby in between Nathan and her. "Do you ever think about what she's going to be like when she grows up?"

Turning from his back over onto his right side carefully so he could face them, he set his eyes on the little girl lying between them as well.

"I mean, I can't help but think about what she's going to want do with her life. Will she go to college and what college will she want to attend? Will she play sports? Will she take after her mom and be the prom queen? Will she be a tutor?" She continued.

"You mean a nerd." He teased good-naturedly.

"Yes, a nerd." She placated smiling. "I don't know, but I've been thinking about this stuff a lot lately."

"I pray she grows up to be just like you." He begins softly capturing her attention. "Kind, compassionate, intelligent...incredibly beautiful." He finishes staring into her eyes.

Haley felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach with the words he said and the soft, passionate way he said them. And the way he was staring at her right now was causing her heart to leap and her breath to hitch. Her mind kept replaying the word he used. _Beautiful._

"_Hi, best friend." Brooke greeted walking into the tutor center at Tree Hill High._

_Haley looked up from the table she was currently sitting at when she heard the other girl's voice. She smiled warmly returning the greeting. "What brings you by?"_

"_Well, I cancelled cheerleading practice for the day considering Teresa decided to get the chicken pox. Really? She's seventeen, and she hasn't already had them. That's just way too ridiculous." Brooke complained plopping down dramatically into the chair adjacent to Haley's. "And with one girl down, I find it rather pointless to have practice to work on a routine which requires every girl."_

"_So why aren't you sitting in the gym gawking at Lucas?" Haley questioned quirking her eyebrows._

"_I was. He was looking so good-shirtless and sweaty. I just wanted to lick the salty wetness right off of his body."_

"_Whoa…too much!" Haley quickly protested holding up her hands._

_Brooke laughed rolling her eyes before continuing, "Anyway, I had to come see my very best friend in the whole world, because I have some dire news to share with her."_

"_Ooh, what's that?"_

"_I have decided to end this non-exclusive dating nonsense between me and Lucas and be just exclusive." Brooke revealed._

"_It's about time considering the whole non-exclusive stuff was pretty much unnecessary." Haley stated as the brunette lightly shoved her. "What? It was. But question, is this for real? Because you know I love you, Tigger, but you and Lucas have had this on and off type of relationship for the past couple of years."_

"_Yes, it is real. I love Lucas. It's our senior year, and we might as well make the most of it, right?" Brooke answered._

"_Right. So what sealed the deal?"_

"_I am so glad you asked, Tutor girl." Brooke chirped. "We were totally making out in Whitey's office…"_

_Haley couldn't stop the laugh that escaped from her lips._

"_And just as it was getting to the good stuff, Whitey walked in. To say he was mad was quite the understatement. He made Lucas do a bunch of those suicide type things before threatening to get my squad pulled out of the Sparkle Classic Tournament. Anyway, we were walking through the hallway heading towards the gym for our practices, and I was complaining about how my hair straightener decided to take a permanent vacation from me this morning resulting in my hair looking like total crap today. And he told me I looked beautiful like always."_

_Haley waited for Brooke to continue. "That's it? He called you beautiful and that sealed the deal?"_

"_Duh. Haven't you ever heard that saying before?" _

"_Obviously I'm in the dark on this one. What saying?" Haley questioned._

"_When a boy calls you hot, they look at your body. When a boy calls you pretty, they look at your face. When a boy calls you gorgeous, they look at your clothes. But when they call you beautiful, they see everything." Brooke quoted with a dreamy look on her face._

"_Well, that is a nice quote but really? Just from that?" Haley prodded._

"_It wasn't just that, Hales. When Lucas said that, I realized that he sees me. He looks at me and doesn't just see a pretty face or a hot body or just one of the popular girls-he sees me. Just me and everything else is a perk. I don't want to waste anymore time, Hales. Lucas and I have done this back and forth dance for years and I just want to be with him completely." Brooke explained._

"_I'm glad, Brooke. It's about time you guys got your acts together. You deserve to be happy, Brooke, and I know how happy Lucas makes you." Haley says sincerely._

"Goodnight, Hales." Nathan said snapping her back to reality.

"Goodnight, Nathan." She repeated almost inaudibly as the butterflies in her stomach were still present. She watched as he closed his eyes willing himself to fall asleep. She couldn't help but smile as she kept her eyes on him knowing sleep wasn't going to come too easily and quickly for her tonight.

**There you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter for you guys soon. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Back with an update! I hope everyone had an amazing weekend! The sun was shining here in Chicago so that makes for a wonderful time.**

**As always thanks for the amazing story alerts I continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to tp404, courtneylovejason, othfan48, rosepetal16, JamesLover23, Ellie, kutekim10, thekellay, and toughgirl13 for your reviews of chapter fifteen. And thank you to HBJHOTH23 for your reviews of chapters 8-14. It's always a joy to read what you guys have to say whether it's a couple words or more. Thanks bunches!**

**Well, enough talking and onto the reading…**

_December 23, 2011_

The black SUV pulled into the vacant spot in the hotel parking lot. Nathan went to the trunk to get their bags while Haley unbuckled Sophie from the car seat. The three of them made their way into the Staybridge Suites and were instantly greeted by a man in what looked to be like his early twenties.

After getting themselves checked in, they opened the door to their room on the third floor. Haley walked in with Sophie in tow first and was blown away by the size, look, and layout of this room. It looked almost more like an apartment rather than just a hotel room. The amenities included a kitchen complete with a regular sized refrigerator, a stove/oven, a microwave, a dishwasher, and all other standard kitchen appliances. On the opposite side of the kitchen, there was a full-sized bathroom.

Walking further into the room, there were two king-sized beds to the left with a nightstand sitting in between them. To the right side of the room sat a loveseat along with a desk. The wall straight ahead of them had two windows with a flat screen television in the middle. The furniture and decorum was modern and contemporary as well-not like what you see in most hotels.

"This place is amazing!" Haley gushed as she set Sophie who was sleeping onto one of the beds as Nathan followed closely behind her setting their bags down next to the same bed.

"Yeah, it is something." He stated. For him, this was standard and normal. He was the owner of a professional basketball team so he was used to the more "glamorous" type of lifestyle. But he knew this was different for Haley, and not just because she wasn't as well off as he was or anything like that, but because she was a simple girl. She wasn't the type of person who needed or wanted anything more than just the basics. Something like this was considered amazing for her-and it truly was amazing-but for someone like him, this was simply what was usually expected.

A few minutes later, the two were resting on the couch as Nathan flipped through the channels on the television. Haley turned her head to him, "Are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked cautiously.

"Sure." He answered vaguely.

"We don't have to go you know." She stated.

"I know."

Haley wanted to throttle him. He was so difficult to talk to sometimes. She had an internal debate as to whether or not she should try to prod further.

Nathan watched the struggling emotions passing through Haley's face and sighed. He knew he wasn't being fair to her. She opened up to him a lot more than he did to her, and he knew it drove her crazy. But he couldn't help it. Talking about his family wasn't something he enjoyed doing-with anyone. Lucas was usually the only one. It wasn't easy for him to talk about it. "It's Christmas…" He began capturing Haley's full attention. "We should be with family and going over to my parent's house for dinner is the only way we could see Keith and Karen and for them to see Sophie. Seeing my parents is just an unfortunate thing we'll have to deal with."

"Are they really that bad?" She couldn't help but question.

"Yes, they are." He answered offering up nothing more. Just thinking about them had him growing angry. He didn't want to deal with them himself, but he certainly didn't want Haley or Sophie around them. All he wanted to do was protect them against Dan and Deb, and he had a bad feeling about this dinner. Standing up abruptly, "I'm going to go take a shower. I feel all gross from the drive here." He stated walking away towards the bathroom. Yes, he was being a coward, but he wasn't in the mood to talk about his parents. He had to see them the next day so he was already on edge and talking about them would probably push him over.

Haley let out a sigh feeling completely dejected as she watched him walk away. Why wouldn't he just talk to her? Was it really too much to ask him to just trust her enough to open up?

Half an hour later, Nathan walked out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a grey long-sleeved t-shirt with the Bobcat's logo displayed across the front. His hair was still damp from the water. He noticed Haley and Sophie on the bed closest to the bathroom playing with some toys. Sophie looked up and smiled boisterously at him while stretching her arms towards him. Picking up the little girl, he carried her to the other bed.

"I think Sophie likes you better than me." Haley pouted leaning against the headboard of the bed.

"Well, she is one smart child." He smirked as Haley furrowed her eyebrows in a teasing manner. "Don't worry, Hales, Sophie loves you to death. Don't you, Soph? You love Haley just as much."

Sophie let out a little squeal looking over to Haley causing the brunette to instantly smile. She watched the two of them interact, and it tugged at something inside of her. She couldn't explain what it was exactly. Maybe it was seeing Nathan so soft and loving and attentive with someone else. Before Sophie, Haley had never seen this side of him. It was different, and she liked it. "I'm going to go take a shower. What time do we have to be over at your parent's house?"

"I think around one." He answered distractedly.

"Okay." She responded. Staring at the two of them for just a bit longer, she smiled grabbing her belongings and headed into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Holding Sophie, Haley watched Nathan with mild concern as he stared at the wooden door in front of him. They had been standing on the front porch for the past three minutes, and he had yet to do anything-no knocking; no talking. He simply just stared at the door. "Umm, are you going to knock?" She asked apprehensively.<p>

"Yes." He answered curtly not even realizing the tone of his voice.

Haley simply nodded. She knew this was the last place he wanted to be, and she knew he was on edge, but she couldn't deny that the tone of his voice hurt slightly. It reminded her of how they were before, and she didn't want to go back to that place with him. She knew it wasn't because of her, but it still hurt.

"I'm sorry." He apologized turning towards her.

"It's okay." She quietly mumbled.

"No, it's not. I know I'm not being fair to you, but it's hard for me to talk about my parents." He admitted.

"I understand. If you don't want to talk then that's okay. But Nathan, I'm here if you do decide you do want to talk. I'm a good listener."

Nathan smiled sheepishly at her. "Thanks, Hales." He turned back towards the door and sighed, "I guess we should get this over this, huh?"

"Yup. It's like ripping off a bandage." She joked hoping to ease some of the tension which seemed to work as he let out a small laugh.

"Haley, I just…" He began turning back towards her. "I just want to apologize for my parents ahead of time for anything they may say or do."

Haley smiled at that. And she also couldn't help but think back to when Nathan punched Dan for apparently talking poorly about her and her family. She wondered if Dan would try to pull anything tonight. She really hoped not. Nathan didn't need the added stress, and she didn't want to be the cause of another Scott family fight. She just wanted to spend Christmas with her family-aka Keith, Karen, Sophie, and even Nathan. "Well, thank you for the warning, but you don't have to apologize, Nathan. I've heard stories about your dad so I pretty much understand he may not be the most pleasant person tonight. We're in this together now, right?"

"Right." Nathan agreed smiling at her. He was grateful for how calm she was, because it was definitely helping him in the moment. And he really appreciated her last statement. While he didn't want to go into that house and subject her or Sophie to either of his parents, it was nice to have her by his side.

After knocking, the door swung open just a moment later as they were instantly greeted with Deb Scott. "Nathan, you're here." She said almost breathlessly.

"Well, it's Christmas." He stated feeling his guards once again go up.

"I'm glad you came." The blonde stated before turning her attention to the two girls by his side. "Hi, Haley. It's good to see you again."

"It's nice to see you, too, Mrs. Scott." Haley greeted politely.

"Oh, Deb is fine." Deb said waving her hand in the air. She acknowledged the little girl in Haley's arms before ushering them inside the house. Nathan stepped aside to allow Haley to go first placing his right hand on the small of her back following closely behind.

"Nathan! Haley! It's so good to see you guys. Merry Christmas!" Karen said coming towards them and enveloping each of them in a warm embrace which they reciprocated.

Nathan couldn't help but catch the sadness which seemed to pass through his mother's features as she watched them, and he felt bad. Only slightly, but he did. He honestly didn't like hurting his mother, but he also had a hard time opening up to her and forgiving her.

"And there's my beautiful grandbaby." Karen stated as Haley handed Sophie over towards the older brunette.

Karen, Nathan, and Haley followed Deb into the living room where Keith and Dan were sitting nursing a couple of drinks. Nathan felt his body stiffen as he met his father's gaze. Dan smirked in his direction, and Nathan quickly diverted his attention towards Keith. "Merry Christmas." He greeted.

"Merry Christmas." Keith returned as the two shook hands. "Again, I'm sorry about this." He apologized quietly so just Nathan could hear.

"It's okay, Keith. I am really okay." Nathan assured. "Let's just get this over with quickly, though, okay?" He joked as the older man laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Let's go sit down and eat." Deb announced.

"Hang on a second. Sophie actually has a Christmas present for you." Nathan spoke up looking at Keith and Karen.

He and Haley instructed them to stand on one side of the room as they took Sophie to the other side of the room. Haley set the little girl down on the floor. Karen's smile grew bigger as she knew what was about to come. "Go on, Sophie. Walk to Grandma and Grandpa." Haley urged softly.

Taking a couple of looks around the room, Sophie walking quickly over to Keith and Karen as everyone cheered and applauded. "Oh my gosh, that was so good, sweetie." Karen gushed picking the little girl up in her arms. "When did this happen?" She asked.

"A few days ago." Haley answered. "We were going to call and tell you guys, but we figured it would be better to surprise you."

"Well, this is a wonderful surprise!" Karen exclaimed holding Sophie tightly in her arms.

"Yeah, we were pretty excited about it." Nathan said as he and Haley exchanged glances.

_Haley ran the dirty dishes under the faucet rinsing out the small food residue which was leftover from the dinner they had just eaten. Following dinner, Nathan headed into his bedroom to make a quick call to Clay about something work related. Nathan told her what it was about, but she was actually pretending to listen. All she knew was that it was basketball related._

_Haley glanced over to the living room to make sure Sophie was still okay and playing with her toys on the living room floor where she had left her before. She noticed the little girl standing up and looking around. A rush of adrenaline coursed through her body as she dropped the pan she was currently rinsing into the sink while rushing towards the living room grabbing a nearby dish towel on her way to dry her hands._

"_Nathan!" She exclaimed arriving in the living room. She impatiently waited a couple seconds not receiving a response. "Nathan!" She yelled even louder. She advanced just slightly towards Sophie sticking her hands out in front of her, "Okay…don't do anything yet, okay. Let's just wait for Nathan to get out here. Stay right there, sweetie. Nathan!"_

"_What?" Nathan asked walking into the living room from the back bedroom. He watched as Haley pointed towards Sophie. Turning his head, his eyes grew big at the sight of her standing. "Has she…?"_

"_No, not yet." Haley answered, her eyes still plastered to the little girl._

_Nathan came to stand next to Haley as they both crouched down towards the carpet. He stuck his hands out towards her, "Come on, Sophie. Come walk to us." He coaxed as Haley mirrored the same words of encouragement._

_Sophie looked at them for a couple seconds before moving her right foot._

"_Come on. You can do it."_

_And all of a sudden, she was heading towards them as they cheered her on happily. Arriving to them, Nathan scooped her up in his arms. "Good job, Sophie." Haley praised right next to Nathan rubbing her hand up and down the little girl's back._

_"__That was so great, angel." Nathan stated kissing Sophie on her cheek soundly as Haley leaned in and began showering her face with kisses as the little girl started giggling._

_"__I'm going to go get the camera." Haley announced while skipping away in excitement._

_Nathan set Sophie back down on the ground just as Haley arrived back in the living room out of breath. "That was quick." He stated amused._

_"__Yeah, well, I'm excited. Leave me alone." She ordered as he laughed. She moved to stand on the opposite side of the living room. "Okay, Sophie, come walk to me, sweetie." She urged._

_Sophie smiled brightly at Haley before walking over to her with a little bit more of a faster pace than before as Haley began snapping pictures. Everything else was forgotten that night-work related phone calls and housework-it was all forgotten as Nathan and Haley celebrated this milestone in not only Sophie's life but theirs as well._

"This is so exciting!" Karen gushed as she sifted through the photos Haley had brought with her.

"Well, those are your copies." Haley stated as Karen thanked her. She started walking closer to Deb who was standing just a couple feet away, "And Deb, these are for you and Dan." She said offering out a stack of photos.

Deb looked surprised at the young woman in front of her who was actually including Dan and herself in something Sophie related. Usually due to Dan's _lovely_ attitude, they became a second thought to things which was understandable, but it felt really nice to not be left in the background on this one. "Thank you, Haley." She said with complete gratitude. She glanced over to Nathan who seemed to be sporting the same surprised look. But she couldn't quite decipher whether it was a welcoming or unwelcoming surprise for him. "Well, should we go eat?" She questioned deciding to move on while things were still positive. She turned around and noticed Dan standing behind her staring at Haley-more like sizing her up. Deb suddenly had a bad feeling about this night. "Don't try anything, Dan." She warned in a whisper while brushing passed him.

Keith and Karen followed Dan and Deb out of the living room as Nathan walked over towards Haley with Sophie right beside him holding onto his jean clad leg. "That was…nice of you." He stated.

"I hope you don't mind that I did that. I mean, I didn't overstep my boundaries or anything, did I?" She asked quickly. She was not in the mood for a fight with Nathan to erupt right now.

Nathan let out a laugh at the worry lacing her voice, "Hales, it's okay. It was a nice thing for you to do." He reassured as she nodded timidly. "Now, let's go eat. I'm hungry." He stated as they each grabbed onto one of Sophie's hands and advanced towards the dining room with the little girl walking in the middle of them.

It was twenty minutes into dinner and so far things were good. There was no arguing, no rude or asinine comments-nothing. It was definitely awkward, though, and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. It seemed as if everyone was on edge and just waiting for the turnaround to happen.

Haley felt so uncomfortable. Neither Karen nor Brooke lied when they used to talk about these family dinners. She never thought they were lying, but she also couldn't help but wonder if they were maybe overreacting a bit-no, that was definitely not the case. She could feel the tension between Keith, Dan, and Karen; she could feel the tension between Nathan and his parents; and to make things even more uncomfortable, Dan kept leering at her throughout dinner as if he was sizing her up or something. And she knew Nathan noticed it as well considering he kept reaching underneath the table to touch her thigh comfortingly which always managed to send what felt like electric shocks through her body, but that was totally beside the point. When she felt his hand touching her thigh, she always managed to send him a smile which he reciprocated before sending a pointed glare in his father's direction as if warning him to knock it off.

"So Nathan, how is the team looking this year?" Dan asked.

_And now it begins._ Everyone minus Haley thought.

"They look good. I think they're going to have a good season." Nathan answered.

"Let's hope they have a better season than last year." Dan said snidely.

"I thought they did do well last year." Haley spoke as everyone took a deep breath.

"And just what do you know about basketball, Miss James?" He challenged.

"Well, nothing." She answered with a small. "But according to Lucas and Brooke, the Bobcat's…" She paused and turned towards Nathan. "That's the team, right?" She whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear as quiet snickers sounded around the table from everyone except Dan.

Nathan nodded his head in affirmation and smiled at her. She was too adorable sometimes.

"Anyway, according to Lucas and Brooke, the Bobcat's actually had a pretty decent year. I remember Lucas saying something about how they won more games than they lost so that sounds like a good year to me." She finished before thrusting a fork full of salad into her mouth.

"That's not all there is to it." Dan stated. "Lucas and definitely Brooke don't really know what they were talking about."

"Dan." Deb warned.

"What?" He questioned with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm just trying to enlighten the girl on the actual facts regarding basketball. I mean, the girl thinks a good season is equivalent to more wins than losses." He finished with a sarcastic laugh.

"With all due respect, Mr. Scott, I admit that I don't know anything about basketball or really any other sport, but since when is it not considered good to actually win?" Haley challenged without skipping a beat.

Nathan looked at her in amazement. Most people tended to cower around Dan Scott. She seemed to give it right back without a second thought. However, he knew that was just going to piss his father off even more, and he didn't want Dan going even further.

"I never said winning isn't good. It is. But there is also a lot more to it. There are player and team statistics to also take into account. There is more to basketball than just simply putting a ball through a hoop and winning a game." Dan said.

"There probably is. But since I don't know anything about basketball, winning is good enough for me." She stated completed unaffected by Dan's behavior. She almost jumped when she felt Nathan's hand resting on her thigh once again. She turned towards him and could see the grateful expression reading across his facial expressions.

The next ten minutes were eaten in silence-an awkward silence as the tension had resurfaced within the dining room.

"Miss James…" Dan began as everyone, including Haley this time, took another deep breath.

"Dan, just stop." Deb pleaded under her breath.

"I just have a question for the girl." Dan defended turning back to look in Haley's direction. "I hear you're a nurse."

"Yes. That is correct."

"Are you working in Charlotte right now?" He questioned.

"No, not at the moment."

"Are you planning on finding work?"

"I am not sure what my plans are for right now. That is something that Nathan and I will have to discuss and decide what we want to do." She answered.

"So you're basically just living off of my son then." He quipped.

"Dad!" Nathan exclaimed.

"This discussion is completely relevant and necessary, Nathan. You're an owner of a professional basketball team which just screams dollar signs to some people." He began looking pointedly in Haley's direction. "I just want to make sure my son is not getting taken advantage of."

"Haley is not living off of me. She just relocated to a different city for me to be able to keep my job which is the reason why she's not working at the moment. And secondly, this is something that Haley and I will talk about and make decisions about. WE will decide what works best for OUR arrangement. And we can leave it at that. End of discussion!" He said sternly ending the discussion.

* * *

><p>The car ride was silent on the way back to the hotel. Nathan began apologizing profusely for the things his dad had said at dinner, but Haley quickly put a stop to it insisting it wasn't his fault nor was it even a big deal. He accepted her answer and was appreciative for her response as well as her attitude about the situation.<p>

Haley grew confused as Nathan turned right onto the gravel road which was taking them the opposite direction of the hotel. "Nathan, where are we going?"

"You'll see." He said with a sly smile.

Haley wanted to shake him. She hated surprises, and this was torture for her. But she knew Nathan. He wasn't going to break no matter how much she begged.

It was fifteen minutes later, and they had dropped Sophie off at Jake and Peyton who were already expecting her and who were more than thrilled to watch the little girl. Now Nathan was driving him and Haley to their destination. He was surprised that Haley had actually been keeping her mouth shut and hasn't been pestering him about where he was taking them. It was then that he made the final turn in their route.

Haley's eyes grew wide as she noticed where Nathan was turning them into. "Nathan, what are we doing here?" She asked in amazement.

"This is your Christmas present." He replied parking the car before jumping out of the driver's seat while rushing to the other side opening the door for Haley as she climbed out. The two walked closer to the rink where just a few other people were skating around in. "You said you haven't been ice skating since you were sixteen so I thought this would be a nice gift."

"You remembered that?" She asked breathlessly in surprise. She had said that three weeks ago.

"Of course." He stated as if it were no big deal not realizing it was a very big deal to Haley. She stared at him as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. He grabbed her hand and began dragging her along with him to get some skate.

Five minutes later, the two of them were on the slippery ice-both a little wobbly due to how many years it's been since either of them had done this. It was nice since it wasn't overly crowded either. Holding onto each other's hands for the added support, they skated around the circular rink.

Nathan tripped over his skate as they were rounding one of the corners. Haley, who seemed to be getting the hang of it once again, quickly moved in front of him so she was skating backwards and placed both of her hands on his shoulders to help steady him. "You okay?" She questioned with a small laugh.

"Yup, and that wasn't embarrassing at all." He mumbled discreetly looking around them to see if anyone was watching.

Haley smiled at the hint of a blush growing on his face, "You're doing great."

"And you are a bad liar." He countered as she let out a laugh. "But I appreciate the sentiment." He added.

"Thank you for this, Nathan. The last time I went ice skating was with Brooke. It's nice to be here doing this again." She said softly.

"You're welcome, Haley." He replied just as softly as they shared a small, timid smile and continued on with their skating.

"When is the last time you went skating?"

"Oh, I don't know. I know I was younger. Maybe five." He answered.

"That long?"

"Well, my parents…" He paused. "Let's just say they had more important things to worry about." He finished vaguely not wanting to discuss things any further which Haley seemed to comprehend.

"Well, we have to take Sophie ice skating every Christmas. She's going to love it. Brooke and I did-every year. We never grew sick of it. It feels…I don't know the right word-refreshing? Or maybe rejuvenating? We tried to learn and 'master' new moves any time we came out here. Of course we failed every time." She chuckled. "But we had a blast. And I know Sophie will, too."

"She probably will." He agreed. "Just us, though, right?"

"Of course. Who else would be there with us?" She asked confused.

"I just mean that this could be something with just us-our weird, unconventional family. Who knows what we may be doing or who we may be seeing in the future?" Nathan began pausing while trying to figure out the best way to say this. "This could just be our thing."

Haley nodded understanding what he was getting at. An unsettling feeling which she couldn't explain settled in her stomach at Nathan's words. More specifically his 'who we may be seeing in the future' words. To be completely honest, she never really gave the future much thought which sounds completely naïve but true. She didn't think about what would happen with this situation if either of them met someone and things got serious. Who would get custody of Sophie? Would they both still be actively involved in Sophie's life? Would the _significant other_ have a say in raising Sophie? Would their relationship go back to the way it was? Questions began plaguing Haley's brain-questions she couldn't answer. Questions which actually scared her to know the answers to. But all of these questions were relevant and necessary.

She pushed them to the far back of her mind-tonight was about tonight. They didn't need to decide anything. Neither of them was involved in relationships and as far as right now goes, they're living together and raising Sophie together. That's all that mattered.

**Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. I know the Sophie walking flashback was a little short, but honestly when I started writing it, I kind of went blank. Haha! It was hard for to really go any further into detail. So I hope you enjoyed it for what it was. :)**

**And you might want to be on a special lookout for the next chapter (wink, wink). It should be longer than the previous two chapters as well. I hope to have it for you guys soon!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Back with another update! Yes, two this week—maybe three if I'm feeling really motivated. (Not sure about that one yet)**

**As always, thanks for the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. It's nice to know people are still interested in it. And a huge thanks to HBJHOTH23, Ellie, courtneylovejason, pam211, rosepetal16, othfan48, illicitencounters, toughgirl13, Steffsche, thekellay, and JamesLover23 for taking the time to review. As always, they are such a pleasure to read and help keep me motivated. And you words are always so lovely and sweet, and I just thank you guys so much. Much love! :)**

**Okay, fist off…if there are any basketball fans/followers out there, I _kind of_ cheated. You probably know that the NBA seasons usually begin in December…but I'm starting mine after. It works much better for my story. I normally like to do things as close to reality as I can, but I'm making an exception on this one. Hope you don't mind. ;)**

**And warning...I didn't proofread through this because I wanted to get it out as quick as I could cause I'm busy later tonight and all tomorrow. So please overlook any mistakes.**

**So I wanted to give you guys a heads up. After this chapter, I am changing the rating of this story to M so if you don't have it on a story alert and don't check the M section but still want to continue to read this then you'll know where to find it. And if there are any who want to stop reading it because of that, then I want to give you a heads up as well (I'm hoping that's not going to be the case, though ;)...).**

**Enough talking and onto reading…**

Haley fell onto the couch exhausted. She had been chasing Sohie all around the apartment for the past two hours. The little girl giggled almost hysterically as she ran passed the couch. Haley managed to send a smile her way. "Don't go too far, Soph." She mumbled with her eyes closed. She wasn't too concerned-all of the bedroom and bathroom doors were closed, and Sophie couldn't reach the doorknobs, and the rest of the apartment was baby proofed. She heard the front door opening and closing as well as Nathan called out her name.

"Hales!" Nathan hollered walking through the door. He shed out of his zipped up grey fleece jacket while draping it over one of the chairs in the dining room leaving him in some jeans and a grey t-shirt while also setting a gift bag on the surface of the dining room table. He took a step forward just as something-rather someone latched onto his leg. He looked down and instantly smiled. "Hey, angel." He said crouching down to be eye level with Sophie so he could give her a quick kiss on her lips before standing back up. "Let's go find Haley." He stated stepping around the little girl and walking into the living room where he found Haley sprawled along the length of the couch. "Hales."

"What?" She bit out without opening her eyes.

"Whoa! You okay?"

"I'm tired." She answered.

"Yeah, you were up with Sophie pretty late last night. And I'm guessing she's been keeping you pretty busy throughout the day."

"You could say that." She mumbled.

"Well, I have a surprise for you and Sophie, but how about you go take a nap. And I'll order us something in tonight."

"That would be perfect, because I am in no mood to cook anything." She stated.

"Okay. Well, you go enjoy your nap." He said as he began to walk away.

"Nathan!" She called causing him to stop and turn back towards her. "Carry me to the bedroom. I can't move. Please." She pleaded, her eyes still closed but a pout forming from her lips.

Nathan laughed before bending down and pickin her up bridal style as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Arriving at her bedside, he pulled back the comforter along with her top sheet and placed her into the bed before covering her up. He smiled as she mumbled out a 'thank you'. Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the forehead before exiting out of her bedroom.

It was a couple hours later when Haley awoke from her nap and headed out into the living room where she found Nathan lounging on the couch sipping a beer and watching something on ESPN. Plopping down next to him, she brought her feet up under her and curled into his side. "What are you watching?" She asked.

"An old Chicago Bulls game from the nineties." He answered. "How was your nap?"

"Wonderful." She smiled. "Speaking of, is that where Sophie is?" She asked as he nodded. "So...you said something about a surprise."

Nathan looked at her and laughed, "You women are all the same, you know that." He said as he patted her leg before standing up from the couch and heading into the dining room. Just seconds later he was back in the living room sitting on the couch while handing her the gift bag he had brought inside with him. "Here you go."

"Ooh, what could it be?" She questioned completely intrigued. She took the tissue paper out and threw it off to the side and reached into the bag feeling her hand come into contract with some sort of fabric. Pulling it out, she noticed it was a Bobcats jersey with the number 23 on it. She looked at him confused and amused before turning it around to display the back. Writting on the top was her name, James. "I have my very own jersey." She stated looking at him.

"Yes. It's for the opening Bobcats game tomorrow night. I also got one for Sophie. I wanted you two to have your very own custom jerseys to wear since you're willingly coming to a basketball game. I know it's not really your type of scene, but I appreciate the support." He said.

"Of course we want to be there to support you. This is your job, and you know...I'm kind of excited about this. I've never been to a professional basketball game before, and I'm interested in seeing what it's like."

"Well, I hope you have fun." He said.

"I think I will. Now, I'm going to go try this on." She stated jumping from the couch and rushing towards her bedroom yelling 'be back' on the way. Minutes later, she was walking into the living room. "How do I look?" She questioned standing in front of him and turning around while modeling the outfit.

Nathan smiled as he looked at her. "You look good." He stated. And she did. Seeing her standing in front of him wearing a jersey which displayed his signature number ever since his high school playing days at Tree Hill as well as the team logo he was now the owner of was such a turn on. She looked damn good, and he found himself incredibly glad that she was going to be at that game tomorrow night by his side. He wanted her there. Her and Sophie. "You look really good."

Haley blushed at his words glancing down towards herself.

* * *

><p>Haley was amazed when she walked into the Time Warner Cable Arena. From the expressive art to the contemporary architecture, she was impressed. She had never been in a sports arena…well, any arena before, and she didn't quite know what to expect. Being as naïve as she is, she thought there would be a court where the sport was played and that's all. But this was so much bigger and more captivating than she imagined.<p>

Shifting Sophie to her left hip, she felt Nathan place his hand on the small of her back as he led them through the crowd of people as he offered out greetings to people along the way. Security met them along the way and ushered them towards the elevators ensuring that they were safely inside.

"Should I be scared or worried?" Haley questioned with a laugh.

"No, it's just protocol. There's nothing to worry about. Please, I'm not that hated by the fans." Nathan answered smirking.

"That's what you think." Haley muttered teasingly.

The rest of the ride up was full of comfortable silence and soon enough they had stopped on their floor. Nathan once again led Haley through the short hallway coming to a door in which he opened for her. Haley stepped inside what she presumed was the Owner's-Nathan's-box. She immediately felt a sense of intimidation when she noticed all of the people who were already in there busily chatting or working. However, it seemed as if everyone stopped what they were doing and figured she "wanted" to be stared at.

"Hey, everyone." Nathan greeted which caused the staring people to focus their attention towards him which was a relief for Haley. She stood off to the side with Sophie securely in her arms as she let Nathan mingle for a bit with his colleagues. It was just a couple minutes later when he was by her side again latching gently onto her arm and leading her further into the room. "Well, I have a couple of people I'd like you guys to meet. This is Haley James and Sophie. Haley, this is everyone." He introduced with a laugh.

The previously staring people all issued out a warm greeting her way before engaging back in their previous work. However, a few people broke from the groups and began making their way towards them. "Haley..." Nathan began. "There's some people I'd like you to meet. This is Chase. He's the team financial advisor. That's David. You already know Clay."

Clay winked playfully at Haley as she rolled her eyes in amusement.

"That's Tim, our advertising media manager."

"Hey, what's up." Tim began inching closer to her.

"Don't!" Nathan warned sticking his hand out to stop Tim from moving any closer as everyone laughed while Tim put up his hands in surrender and back away. "And this is Quinn. She's the retail operations manager." He said finished with his introductions.

"So what are you guys? Part of Nathan's mafia or something to get a more formal introduction?" Haley questioned jokingly.

"Something like that." David answered without skipping a beat.

"Well, it's nice to meet you guys." She said as they all returned the sentiment before dispersing back to their work.

Haley walked closer to the window which overlooked the court and glanced down and around. She had never seen anything like this before. From this view, the arena looked gigantic. It was almost intimidating. It was a second later when Nathan appeared at her side. "Impressed?" He questioned.

"Something like that." She replied with a coy smile.

"You see that scoreboard right there." He said pointing upwards in the center of the arena. Haley nodded her head saying 'how could I not'. "That scoreboard is the most technologically advanced scoreboard in the country."

"Wow. Impressive."

"Are you being sarcastic right now?" He questioned laughing.

"No." Haley chuckled. "I am actually being serious." She continued to look around in amazement. "This is really cool, Nathan."

Nathan smiled at her entrancement. Considering her "knowledge" of sports-any type-he really didn't know if she would find anything interesting about this. When he asked her if she wanted to come, he was actually surprised when she said yes and seemed genuinely excited. For some reason, he liked that. He wanted her to be interested in what he does for a living. And he wanted her to know his job consisted more of simply watching players run up and down a court and put a ball through a hoop. "Well, I have some work to get started on. The game is going to start soon so why don't you and Sophie make yourselves comfortable." He said gesturing to the chairs behind them. "There's some food and drinks over on the counter over to your right. Help yourself to anything. It's free, and it's specifically for anyone who's in this room so don't be shy. If you need anything, just holler."

"I will."

Nathan nodded giving Sophie a quick kiss on the cheek before dispersing towards a small group of guys at a free table looking over some kind of paperwork.

Haley sat down on one of the chairs behind her. The cushioned seats were extremely comfortable, and she felt as if she could sink right into them. She placed Sophie on the chair to her left while pulling the diaper bag into her lap and rummaging through it. Pulling out a zip lock baggie of animal crackers, she handed the bag over to Sophie who was happy to receive them as she immediately started munching on them. Haley leaned forward placing the diaper bag in front of her feet. Sitting up straight once again, she jumped when she saw Quinn sitting in the chair to her right.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Quinn said apologetically.

"No, it's okay." Haley chuckled. "I just wasn't expecting anyone to be there since I never heard a sound or saw anyone approaching."

"Yeah, I can be pretty light on my feet when I want to be." Quinn stated. "So tell me about yourself, Haley."

"Well...I'm from Tree Hill. I'm a nurse. That's pretty much all." Haley answered vaguely not really knowing what else to say.

"So what's the deal with you and Nathan?" Quinn asked jumping straight to the point.

Haley looked blind-sided by her question. _Jeez, this girl doesn't beat around the bush, does she?_ She thought. "There's no deal between us."

"Really? That's interesting." Quinn stated before noticing the look Haley was giving her. "I don't mean to pry or anything. It's really none of my business. It's just...I've worked with Nathan for close to two years now, and he's never been in a real relationship. He does hook-ups which I'm sure you know all about..."

Haley nodded her head uncomfortably.

"It's just weird to see him here with a girl and a baby no less." Quinn finished.

"Well, Nathan and I...umm, we aren't together. Not romantically. We're just raising Sophie together for now."

Quinn's ears perked up when she heard that. "For now?"

"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that." Haley quickly began to recover. "I just meant for now as in until we decide what to do or whatever. I didn't mean for now as in until we get together or anything like that. I just meant that..."

"Okay." Quinn quickly interjected. "I get it."

Haley nodded stopping her rambling. Her face must have been as red as a tomato right now. _Great first impression._

"I'm hungry. Are you hungry?" Quinn asked changing the subject and sparing the girl any further discomfort as she jumped up from the chair. "What do you like? I'll bring you something."

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"Nonsense. It's no trouble at all." Quinn quickly assured. She rattled off some of the foods that were up on the counter as Haley told her what she would like before disappearing.

Sometime at the beginning of the second quarter, Nathan had joined Haley as he was now sitting in the seat to her left with Sophie sitting in his lap who's been fast asleep for awhile now. The game was going well with the Bobcats currently leading 45-36. The game had been almost neck and neck since the beginning, and it made for quite an intense watch.

"So what's it like to sit down there right in front of the action?" Haley questioned looking down towards the courtside seats.

"Exciting and intense." He answered.

"More intense and exciting than right now?"

"Definitely." He replied before glancing over at her. "You want to find out for yourself?"

Haley looked at him shocked. "Really?" She asked and could hardly hide her excitement. Nathan nodded. "That would be awesome!"

"Okay. I'll call and let them know we're coming down." He said chuckling at her enthusiasm.

"Will there be enough seats available?"

"Of course. I always reserve a couple seats down there. There are times when I would rather watch courtside than be stuck up here all the time. And sometimes people don't even show up resulting in more available seats anyway."

"Why would you pay all that money and not go?" Haley asked rhetorically before realizing those people were probably loaded and didn't have to worry about wasting their money on a ticket.

* * *

><p>Nathan was right. Sitting courtside was so much more exciting and intense than sitting up in the owner's box. While that was exciting and intense, too, it was nothing compared to being down here in front of it all. Being with the rest of the fans, hearing the loud, vibrating cheers, listening to the shoes squeaking against the court-it raised the viewing pleasure greatly.<p>

When Haley first stepped foot down here, she felt uncomfortable and intimidated. Much like she felt when she first walked into the owner's box. People were staring at her and at Sophie while also shifting their focus to Nathan occasionally. People were nice and greeted her warmly, but there was also a surprise and maybe sort of fakeness in their voices as well. Particularly by the women which didn't take a rocket scientist to know why that was. But with Nathan constantly by her side and introducing her to some of the people down here as well as the way he kept touching her comforted her enough to not dwell on the others. She was simply going to enjoy the moment, and she was.

Sophie even seemed to be enjoying the excitement from down here. She had woken up while they were making their way down. She was a bit fussy which they figured was due to still being tired, and they were worried that her fussing would prevent them from actually going, but once they stepped out of the elevator Haley took her to the bathroom to change her and basically get her more awake and calmed down. It definitely seemed to do the trick as she watched with rapid attention while smiling boisterously and giggling.

Even without knowing half of what was going on, she was enjoying the game. Nathan had tried giving her some lessons throughout the game and some she comprehended and remembered while others she didn't. She was surprised at how patient and tolerant he was being with her. She was constantly asking him questions-some repeatedly. He would just laugh and explain it to her once again.

"Haley James, are you turning into a basketball fan yet?" Nathan asked amused.

"I just might be." She replied before turning towards him. "And how do you feel about that?" She questioned teasingly.

"Oh, I think I feel more than okay about that." He said as she laughed and turned her attention back to the game. He leaned forward until he was hovering right next to her ear and whispered, "It's kind of a turn on."

Haley felt his hot breath on her ears as she listened to his words. The combination of the two had shivers shooting down her spine. Her breath hitched, and she closed her eyes. Why was she reacting this way towards him? She has noticed for some time now that her body was reacting more and more to the things that used to drive her crazy about him. Maybe it was just her hormones. Like Brooke loved pointing out, it has been a long while since she's done anything sexually. The kiss she shared with Julian months ago was the last time for anything close and before that it had been years. So maybe her body was just reacting. It was normal. _Right?_

She looked over at him as the two found themselves locked in a seemingly intense exchange. It was the chanting of the crowd which broke them out of their reverie. 'Nathan' seemed to be the chanting words as they both looked around confused. It was then that one of the camera crew members laughed and pointed towards the jumbo screen way above them. There Nathan and Haley were displayed on the gigantic screen for the whole arena to see and wouldn't luck have it that it was during those overly cheesy and ridiculous 'kissing moments' as Sixpence None the Richard's _Kiss Me_ played through the speakers.

Both grew the appropriate shade of red as the crowd continued chanting Nathan's name. _Damn Nathan and his owner/celebrity status where everyone here knew him!_ Haley ranted angrily in her head. She turned catching Nathan's gaze once again as the two shared a timid smile not really knowing whether or not they should actually give in. _What the hell?_ It was then that the two leaned in and met in a soft, chaste kiss before breaking away as the crowd erupted in loud cheers.

The two laughed along with everyone else acting as if it wasn't a big deal and as if it hadn't affected them. But it had. The kiss may have been quick and chaste, but it still shook something inside both of them-something foreign and confusing yet enticing and desirable.

After the kiss they shared, the rest of the game kind of flew by in a blur. Before they knew it, it was in the final minute of the game. Both tried desperately to move forward and not dwell on what happened. It was just a kiss. A simple, chaste kiss which didn't even mean anything. The final seconds were counting down on the clock as the ball was in Charlotte's posession with a two-point basket lead. The whole crowd stood on their feet clapping.

**Well, folks, it looks like the Charlotte Bobcats are going to win their opening season game.**

At the announcer's words, the crowd erupted in cheers which echoed throughout the whole arena...

**5, 4, 3, 2, 1...and that's the game. The Bobcats win!**

Haley cheered and clapped along with the rest of the crowd and turned to look at Nathan. She smiled at the look on his face. He was sporting this big, goofy grin which illuminated his entire face. She watched as he gently threw Sophie up into the air a couple rounds in celebration causing the little girl to giggle profusely before bringing her back down against his chest. And that was when he turned and caught her gaze. "Congratulations!" She exclaimed throwing her arms around his waist trapping Sophie in between them as well.

"Thanks, Hales." He said wrapping his his free arm around her back while holding Sophie securely against and between them.

* * *

><p>Haley sat in the middle of the lane on one end of the basketball court watching Sophie as she played with a basketball which was half her size. It was a couple hours later, and the arena had pretty much cleared out with the exception of some arena workers and a couple other families of some players. Nathan, along with his colleagues, was finishing up some work which still had to be done.<p>

Haley looked around the Time Warner Cable Arena. It looked even more emaculate from the angle she was sitting in. She felt so small in comparison. She could see why Nathan enjoyed his job and playing the game of basketball. Today was so exciting and such a rush just to watch, she could only imagine what it was like to be in the center of it all. Not that she wanted to be there, but she understood why Nathan loved it so much.

Nathan walked onto the court and smiled as he saw Sophie playing with a basketball. Seeing Haley just a couple of feet away, he walked closer until he was standing beside her. "I think we might have a future basketball player on our hands." He stated gesturing towards Sophie.

"Well, I guess you have a lot of work to do since I clearly am not going to be the one who teaches her the ins and outs. I can't even shoot a ball." Haley laughed.

"I could teach you." He offered.

"Oh...I doubt that."

"You can't be that bad." He stated and chuckled at the look she gaze him. "Come on." He said clasping his right hand with her left and dragged her towards the free throw line grabbing an extra basketball along the way. "Okay, stand there." He intructed pointing just behind the black line in front of the basketball hoop.

"Nathan, this is ridiculous! All I'm going to do is make a fool out of myself. And do you really want me to embarrass you right here on your own turf in front of...well, not a lot of people..." She began as they both laughed. "But in front of some?"

"Haley, you aren't going to embarrass me." He stated handing the ball over to her after making sure Sophie was still okay. "So...shoot the ball." He ordered.

Haley held the ball in her hands and glanced up at the basketball hoop. _It was quite a distance from where she was standing._ She glanced over to Nathan who was sending her a challenging look. Looking pointedly at him, she turned back to the hoop. Lining up her feet behind the black horizontal line, she brought the ball up to her chest and with two hands she pushed it away which resulted in the basketball sailing through the air just a few feet away. Putting her hands on her hips, she turned to Nathan.

Nathan tried to hold in the laugh that was threatening to fall, but he couldn't. He caught Haley's gaze who had now dropped her hands from her hips down to her sides while sporting her infamous pout which he found so adorable. "I'm sorry." He apologized through his laughter.

"You're not supposed to laugh. This isn't funny." She complained as he started walking closer to her. "It's humiliating."

"That's not humiliating. Try missing the final shot to win the game, and you'll feel humiliation along with the anger and resentment ratiating off of the fans, maybe some teammates, and your coach." He reassured winking at her.

Haley felt a tingle running down her spine and smiled at him for the way he was trying to make her feel better. _It was really sweet._ She couldn't help but think before snapping herself back. She thought for sure her face was turning a deeper shade of pink. "Nathan, I can't do this. I'm never gonna make this shot. See...watch." She ordered and shot the ball again sending the ball flying pretty much the same distance as it had before.

Nathan jogged to retrieve the ball before coming to stand next to her once again. He wrapped his left arm around her shoulder bringing her in closer to him. "Haley, you can do this." He tried reassuring as she sent him a look of complete doubt. "Jeez, have a little more faith in yourself." He handed her the ball and went to stand behind her placing his hands on her hips and leaning in until he was hovering right outside of her ears. "Square your hips."

Haley closed her eyes feeling his hot breath against her ears along with the pressure of his hands on her hips coupled with the way his body was pressed right up against hers. Once again she felt his breath, "Shoot the ball," against her ears feeling her body temperature rise a couple of degrees. Bringing the ball up, she pushed it away again resulting in the same as before. "Told you. I look ridiculous." She mumbled frustratingly.

"It's actually kind of sexy." He whispered hotly into her ear once again sending shockwaves through her body before backing away and moving around her to retrieve the ball. "Let's try another approach." He suggested turning around and tossing the ball her way.

"And what way would that be? You transferring into me and making the shot for me." She joked earning a laugh from him.

"No...I was thinking Granny style."

"Granny style?" She questioned. "You mean like this..." She said as she brought the ball down in between her legs and thrusting it upward. They watched as the ball went sailing through the air towards the basketball hoop and coming down into the net making that perfect "swoosh" sound. Her mouth dropped open in shock as she registered the fact that she had just made a basket. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed looking at him.

Nathan sent her a smile and started clapping his hands. He watched as she started rushing towards him throwing her arms around his neck. Laughing, he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist tightly lifting her up from the ground and twirling her around. "Good job, Hales. I told you you could do it." He said setting her back down on the ground. "I think it's the jersey."

Haley glanced down at herself, "And why would that be?" She challenged.

"Because it's branded with MY team's logo." He stated cockily.

"And it has MY name on the back." She countered turning around so he could see James written across her upper back.

And he certainly saw it, but that wasn't the only thing he took notice of. He couldn't stop his wondering eyes from traveling down to her ass which looked amazing in her tight jeans. _Why did she have to have such an amazingly hot body? God...she was so incredibly sexy._ He noticed her standing around, and he quickly snapped himself out of his previous thoughts. His eyes met hers, and he smiled as she smiled sweetly at him. "You're right. That shot was all on you."

"I know." She stated smugly. "Maybe with a little encouragement from you." She added.

Before he could say anything in response, Sophie had run up to them immediatly moving her arms up towards Haley. Haley bent down and picked up the little girl in her arms hugging her tightly to her body. Nathan smiled at the sight as Sophie snuggled into Haley's chest. It was a sight he realized he would never get tired of seeing. "You guys ready to go home?"

Haley looked down at Sophie and then up to him nodding her head, "I think we are." She answered as he wrapped his right arm around her shoulder and lead them off the court and out of the arena so they could head home.

**There you go. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know the kiss was a little short (which you probably want to hurt me for LOL), but it's all a process. :) Naley is developing, don't worry. And yes, I stole a line or two from 1x13, but I have always loved that basketball/shooting moment for Nathan and Haley from the actual show. It was all kinds of adorable. Anyway, please let me know what you thought and hopefully I'll have another update for you soon.**

**And...Happy (early) Mother's Day to all of the moms out there or moms to be (like me ;)...). Tomorrow and this chapter are dedicated to all of you. I hope you have a wonderful day with whatever you may be doing.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Back with another update! I hope everyone had a terrific Mother's Day and just weekend in general!**

**So, I have mapped out and finished my timeline for this story, and as long as I don't decide to add/delete anything within the story then it should be about thirty chapters long so we're less than halfway done with it. I just wanted to let you guys know that. **

**And also a reminder, I have changed this story to an M rating.**

**As always, thanks for the amazing story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to illicitencounters, Steffsche, courtneylovejason, othfan48, Ellie, kutebloo, Jrocca23, tp404, grumpie2003, chase the memories, forhimonly67, JamesLover23, rosepetal16, and thekellay for your lovely reviews. It's always such a pleasure to read what you guys have to say. It truly does make my day. :D**

Haley swung her purse over her right shoulder as she opened the door to the Cosmos Cafe. Making her way into the building, she took the time to survey the decorum as well as the layout. It was beautiful, big, and open building with a contemporary design which created a warm and welcoming aura to it. Looking around, she didn't find who she was looking for so she went up to the hostess. "Hi, I'm looking for Quinn Fletcher. I wasn't sure if she left her name or not. I'm not even sure if she's here, but I don't see her anywhere."

The brunette took a couple seconds to peruse through her list, "Yes, she is here. She is up in the Loft. Just go up the stairs, and you'll find her."

Haley issued out a 'thank you' before making her way up the stairs. She hadn't realized there was a whole other part to this cafe. She was impressed. Arriving at the top, she immediately found Quinn sitting straight ahead at a small table next to the window. "Hi, Quinn." She greeted arriving at the table.

"Hi, Haley." Quinn greeted enthusiastically as she stood up, and the two girls embraced in a quick hug. "Sit, sit. I hope this spot is okay. I have this thing about being by the window."

Haley hung her purse on the back hook of the chair before taking a seat. "Yeah, this spot is perfectly fine. I like window seats as well."

"Good."

"This place is really nice. And I am so glad you called me and suggested this. It's nice to go out again without Nathan or Sophie. This makes living in Charlotte away from my other friends and family a lot easier. It's just really wonderful to get out of the apartment. I'm in dire need of some good quality girl time." Haley said.

"I agree. Haley James, I think this is the start to a beautiful friendship." Quinn stated as the two girls chuckled.

The two girls ordered their drinks and meals as they made 'get to know you' small talk while waiting for their food to arrive. "So, I'm really curious. How long have you and Nathan known one another?" Quinn asked taking a sip of her iced tea.

"Oh gosh, for awhile. I always knew of him, but I guess I didn't really officially meet him until my sophomore year of high school." Haley answered.

_August 16, 2004_

"_There you go, sir." Haley stated setting the plate containing a hamburger with a side of French fries down on the table in front of her. "Will there be anything else for you?"_

_After the man politely said 'no', she made her way back to the counter refilling a couple cups of decaf coffee along the way. Placing the coffee pot back in its original spot, she turned towards the counter and began running up some check totals. The door to the café chimed causing her to look up. She smiled when she noticed Lucas walking in and making his way towards her direction. "Hey, loser." She greeted good-naturedly._

"_Hey, Hales." He greeted taking a seat on one of the stools in front of the counter just slightly to the right of the cash register where Haley was standing behind._

"_What brings you in here? You want some food?" Haley questioned._

"_Nah. I'm about to head over to the Rivercourt to play some ball with the guys. Just thought I'd stop in and see if you were working today. Figured you were." He answered._

"_Yup. You know me-all work and no play." She joked as they both let out a little chuckle. She glanced over and noticed the book in his hand. "What are you reading these days, Luke?"_

"_Steinbeck. The Winter of our Discontent."_

"_Ooh, that's a good one." She replied immediately._

"_So, fellow nerd…" He began as they shared an amused look, "You ready for school to start? I can't believe our sophomore year starts in less than two weeks."_

"_Of course I'm ready. Hello! Do you not know me?" She joked. "I can't wait. I bought new pencils and new notebooks and all of that fun stuff. I am more than ready."_

"_Gosh, sometimes I forget just how much of a nerd you truly are. I mean, you're way worse than me." He teased as she lightly slapped him on the shoulder. "How you and Brooke became friends I'll never know. You seem so different."_

"_We are. But we are also very similar. And speaking of Brooke, I totally see the way you vibe on her when she comes in here. I think Luke has a little crush." She began as his cheeks turned a darker shade of pink. "You do know that she's my best friend, right. And you do realize that I can totally play a little matchmaker here and try to set you two up."_

"_Haley James, you are going to be the death of me. And please don't say anything to Brooke." He pleaded._

"_You're totally hot for her, dude."_

"_I am not. And don't call me 'dude'. It sounds weird." He stated._

"_Agreed. But the offer still stands. You know she's a cheerleader, right? So that means you should put whatever issues you have aside and try out for the basketball team. And not just because of Brooke, but because you're good. You deserve to show off your talent."_

"_Thanks for the pep talk, Hales, but I like playing on the Rivercourt. I don't need or want anything to do with the team. But thanks." He said._

"_Whatever." She said drawling out the word._

"_Anyway, I better go-the guys are waiting. I'll see you tomorrow, Hales." He said jumping off of the stool and heading towards the door._

"_See ya." She called out after him watching as he exited out of the café. Taking a couple orders from some newly arrived customers, she went back behind the counter and got started on some busy work. The café was relatively quiet, and she didn't have much to work on considering she already finished most everything. In order to make the time pass by quicker, though, she tried to keep herself busy. She was so lost in her task that she failed to hear the door chime open._

_She did, however, hear the loud throat clearing followed by an obnoxiously rude, "Excuse me." She glanced up as her brown eyes met a pair of ocean blue ones. A sense of dread traveled through her body as she realized Nathan Scott was standing in front of her. What the hell was he doing in here? She had never seen him in here before which wasn't unusual considering his weird family tie to Lucas. "Can I help you?" She asked._

"_Yeah, you can get her for me." He stated smugly pointing in the direction where Lucy was standing._

_Why was Haley not surprised by that? Lucy was the typical blonde hair, blue eyed girl who was dumber than a box of rocks. She had recently just been hired, and Haley was the unfortunate one to train her…well, try to train her. The girl was an idiot who couldn't seem to grasp even the simplest of concepts or instructions. And the girl was incredibly vain. She was a beautiful girl, and boy did she know it. "Go to her yourself. Your feet don't look broken. They managed to bring you through the door, and I'm sure they'll manage to take you over there as well." She replied not bothering to hide the disgust within her voice._

_Nathan was taken aback by this girl. Who did she think she was? Did she even know who she was dealing with? "PMSing today?" He bit back._

_Haley's mouth dropped open in shock. "Excuse me?"_

"_I asked…if you were PMSing today? You certainly act like you are."_

"_And you act like the world is just supposed to stop and cater to anything you want. I don't think so, buddy. If you want to go talk to little miss dumb bimbo over there, then go do it yourself. I am not part of your passé who doesn't know how to think for themselves. And just what are you doing in here anyway?" She quipped._

"_Last time I checked, this was a public establishment which gives me free reign to come in if I'd like." He countered._

"_That may be true, but this isn't exactly your 'neck of the woods' so what are you doing here?" She challenged._

"_Why to see you. Isn't it obvious?" He stated smirking._

"_You're a pig. Is there a reason for the way you act, or is this unfortunately how you normally are? Is this just the typical Nathan Scott personality that the world is so accustomed to? Yah for me and everyone else if that's the case.." She responded sarcastically._

"_You don't even know me so I don't know why you're acting so hostile towards me." He said feeling his own anger intensifying._

"_I know plenty about you-King Nathan, basketball God and ruler of Tree Hill High. Please, get over yourself."_

"_And who are you? A nobody. And don't think I haven't seen you around school. You're always hanging out with Brooke. What are you trying to do? Get in good with the popular crowd. Well, guess what, you'll never fit in with our group. You don't belong there so stop trying. It's actually pathetic." He argued._

"_You don't know anything about me or my friendship with Brooke."_

"_And you don't know anything about me so I guess that makes us even." He countered._

_Haley glared at him. God, he was such a jerk. "Do you actually want something?" She asked hoping for him to just order so he could get the hell out already._

_Nathan looked her up and down and smirked feeling all of his previous anger slowly dissipating from his body. "Yeah." He stated as he watched her reach for her menu pad. "You're right about Lucy. She's been around too many times. Besides, I've already been down that road with her. Let's just say, she wouldn't be worth another go around if you know what I mean." He began and his smirk only grew as she let out a scoff. "But you…I bet we could have some fun together. So what do you say? You and me-in the back freezer?" He finished before feeling a cold, wet substance thrown into his face. Wiping the water away as well as he could, he opened his eyes and glared at her as she was placing a clear, empty glass down on the counter. "What the hell was that?"_

"_That was me refusing to serve you. You can turn around and leave now." Haley stated._

"_Bitch." Nathan mumbled furiously turning around and walking out of the café much to Haley's satisfaction. She couldn't believe the nerve of him-coming in here and talking and acting like that. He certainly lived up to his reputation. Gosh, it made her angry all over again just thinking about it._

"So you two didn't get along, I take it?" Quinn questioned amused.

"You could say that." Haley giggled. "Pretty much up until we took custody of Sophie, we 'hated' each other. We just didn't really know each other that well. I mean, he thought I was a prude who only cared about my grades and being 'perfect', and I thought he was nothing but an egotistical man whore who lived for girls and basketball."

"Don't hold back now." Quinn joked.

"Believe me, neither of us have a problem with holding back. I'm actually surprised how things are now between us. We're actually getting along. And to be honest, I don't even remember the last time we fought with one another. I mean really fought in the way that we used to. It's nice."

"Yeah, I've noticed a change in Nathan, too, over the past few months." Quinn stated.

"Really?"

"Definitely. He's a lot more calm and collected at work. For example, the games. He's always really uptight and on edge at the games especially if we're losing or making mistakes. I mean, we are all usually really afraid to speak or make even the tiniest of sounds when we're up in that room with him. But lately, he's been really easy going and laid-back about it. Even when we're losing. I'm guessing that's your and Sophie's influence." Quinn explained.

"I would say more of Sophie's. She's a handful, and neither of us was used to being around children all the time so it was a big adjustment. I know I have learned a great deal of patience since having her. She's definitely teaching us a plethora of new things. You know, losing Brooke...and Lucas...has been extremely difficult. Some days I really feel their loss and just want to break down, and I do sometimes. Like in the shower when I'm all alone, I'll just cry and let everything out which I've read is actually a good and therapeutic thing. But I'll tell you one thing...Sophie has made things so much easier. I don't know how things would be if I didn't have her in my life now. I'm not even joking when I say I'd probably be away in a mental institute." Haley said as she and Quinn laughed. "No, but she has really been my rock through all of this. She's Brooke's daughter, and it's nice to feel that connection with her. And I just love her to death."

"She is truly such an adorable little girl. I can see why you and Nathan are so smitten with her. I just wanted to eat her up at that basketball game." Quinn stated as Haley nodded. "You know, this might sound weird, but I think she looks like you and Nathan. If I didn't know she wasn't your daughter then I would totally think she was. I hope it's okay that I said that."

"No, that's fine. It's not the first time I've heard it. I read those gossip magazines after the first Bobcat's game." Haley stated with an amused smile.

"Yeah, I read them, too. Are you okay with that?" Quinn asked in genuine concern.

"I'm fine. Honestly, I had a good laugh. At first, I was so shocked. I mean to see myself on the cover of a magazine and then to flip inside and see a whole article along with a bunch of pictures to go with it was...it was surreal. But after getting over that initial shock, I laughed. And Nathan...you should have seen him. He was so worried about how I was going to react and actually got really angry. He was about to call up his lawyer and try to sue them. I told him it was really okay and not even a big deal. So we're their news now. In a few weeks, it will be someone else. And we know the truth so it doesn't matter what anyone else believes. I did receive a few phone calls from back home about what was going on up here in Charlotte, though." Haley answered laughing.

"Well, at least the pictures were great. Sophie was adorable, and you looked totally hot by the way." Quinn said.

Haley chuckled, "You know, you remind me a lot of Brooke. She was always very brazen and straight-forward."

"Speaking of straight-forward," The blonde began, "You and Nathan looked totally hot together in that one picture of you two on the court." She stated quirking her eyebrows.

Haley placed her head in her hands and groaned as Quinn tried to stifle in a laugh. "I cannot believe there was a photographer still there. It was innocent. Nathan was teaching me how to shoot a basketball, but of course, the picture makes it look like so much more. Those guys are sneaky. We didn't see a thing nor hear a thing."

"Well, innocent or not, the picture is totally hot. Are you sure you're being completely honest when you say that you guys aren't getting it on or at least have in the past?" Quinn couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, I am being honest. It's not...it's not like that between us." Haley said stalling a bit with the last bit. "He may be into sleeping around, but I am not like that."

Quinn nodded accepting the girl's answer even though she felt that there was more to it-to them. She was beginning to think that maybe Haley...and Nathan...just failed to realize it yet or accept it. "Well, he does sleep around." She stated off-handedly trying to gauge the girl's reaction.

Haley let out a small scoff. "Speaking of...and please forgive me, because I'm going to be completely out of line right now," She began as Quinn nodded in understanding. "Have you ever hooked up with Nathan? I know that you and David just recently got married, but maybe before?" Haley couldn't believe she was asking this. It was completely inappropriate and none of her business, but she also couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Oh, gosh no!" Quinn laughed. "Nathan and I have always been just coworkers. Nothing more. And even if I wanted to...which by the way, I never have," She quickly added, "Nathan has this thing about not hooking up with anyone he works with. He said his working relationships are something different than his personal ones, and he wouldn't risk either by 'mingling' them together just for pleasure."

"So I'm guessing the team cheerleaders don't count as 'coworkers'?" Haley couldn't help but bit out incredulously. She wasn't an idiot. She read the stories, and her best friend was Brooke Davis-queen of gossip.

Quinn smiled at the girl's obvious disdain and even though she probably wouldn't admit it, jealousy. "Haley, those girls were from back when Nathan actually played. He was young, fresh out of college, and he was caught up in the 'rich and famous' lifestyle. He was incredibly immature, and let's face it, those girls made it easy for him. It would be hard to find a guy with Nathan's personality who didn't succumb to those desires. And he has done his fair share of hook ups over the past couple of years, believe me, but ever since he became the owner he has grown up. I know that kind of sounds like a contradiction, but it's still true. He's matured greatly."

"I think so, too. And I do see it. I really do. It's just..." Haley paused.

"It's just what?" Quinn prodded.

"I've known Nathan for awhile, and he's always been like that. And it's...I don't want to say unbelievable but maybe it's a little...I don't even know the right words I'm looking for." Haley said in frustration.

"Haley, would it bother you if he still was that way?"

"Yes." Haley answered immediately as Quinn gave her a look. "But it's not for the reason you're thinking. We have a child together now, and I know he's committed to that, but I guess I just get worried that down the line he's going to want to move on...away from us. Sophie needs him."

"And what about you? Do you need him?" Quinn asked.

Haley was slightly taken aback by the question. It was a completely plausible, expected question, but she was still taken aback by it. Honestly, she didn't know how to answer it. On one hand, no, she didn't need him. Not in the way Quinn was probably thinking about. But on the other hand, she did need him. Ever since Lucas and Brooke died, she's been leaning on him. And with Sophie suddenly coming into their lives the way she has, they have had to support one another, and they have basically become each other's rocks so to speak. She did have a dependency on him, and it was growing more and more each day. "Yes, I do need him." She admitted.

"Haley, I haven't known Nathan as long as you have and I don't know you all that well yet...which I'm hoping will continue to change," Quinn begas as the two girls shared a soft smile and nod, "but I do know him. I've seen him before, and I see him now. I see him with Sophie, and I hear the way he talks about her. I've never seen the 'real' you guys together with the fighting and stuff, but I've seen you together now. I feel like I've seen enough to feel confident in telling you that I don't think Nathan leaving is something you're going to have to worry about. And if it is, maybe you should talk to Nathan about this." Quinn suggested.

Haley nodded pondering her words. She just didn't know anything for sure at this moment. She probably should talk to Nathan. They were bound to have this conversation at some point, but she just wasn't ready for it now. Maybe in the near future but not now.

* * *

><p><em>January 16, 2012<em>

Haley turned in her sleep smiling at the blissful dream she had just experienced. All of a sudden, she caught a whiff of something amazing. Opening her eyes, she saw Nathan inching his way towards her carrying a tray. "What's going on?" She asked still laying down with the side of her face resting against her fluffy pillow.

"This..." Nathan began, "is breakfast in bed." He revealed arriving at her bedside. "Happy birthday, Hales."

Haley smiled as she sat upright in her bed pushing herself back up against the headboard of her bed. She watched as Nathan placed the tray on top of her blanket covered legs. She surveyed the items on the surface. The first thing that caught her eye was the small vase with a couple white roses-her favorite rose-sitting there next to a glass of orange juice. A small plate with two pieces of buttered wheat toast was sitting next to it. There was a bigger plate with two eggs sunny-side up-also her favorite, some hash browns, and three pieces of bacon. And next to the bigger plate was a small bowl of mixed fruit. "Do you think you've got enough food here?" She laughed.

"Well, I know you like to eat." He countered.

"That's true." She agreed as he climbed onto the bed next to her. "You want some?" She offered.

"Of course." He replied grabbing a piece of bacon off of her plate shoving it into his mouth. "Besides, I need to help you eat so you'll be done sooner, because Sophie and I have more surprises for you."

"Really? I love surprises! Well, actually I hate surprises, but since it's my birthday I'm guessing they are good surprises. And if they aren't, then you're a jerk and don't talk to me."

Nathan chuckled at her words, "They're good, I promise."

"Speaking of, where is Sophie?" She asked.

"Around here somewhere." He said laughing at the look on her face. "She's in the living room playing with her toys and watching The Cat in the Hat. I swear does she watch anything else?"

"Nope." She answered popping the 'p'.

"Well, let's eat up so we can go out there and join her." He suggested reaching for a cut-up banana in her fruit bowl.

Fifteen minutes later, Nathan was in the kitchen running the dirty dishes under the water to rinse them off while Haley was in the living room sitting on the floor with Sophie playing. She heard something in the distance and scrunched up her eyebrows looking over towards the dining room where she noticed Nathan placing the flowers from breakfast on the dining table while singing some completely off-tune song. Gosh, did it sound awful causing her to chuckle. He looked up and sent her a smile before disappearing back into the kitchen. Blushing, Haley glanced down smiling before collecting herself and focusing her attention back towards Sophie.

It was just a few short minutes that passed before Nathan was walking back into the living room with his hands behind his back. Haley looked up and smiled as he took a seat on the couch. "So...do you want to continue playing with Sophie or would you like your presents?" He asked bringing his arms around revealing two wrapped packages in his hands.

Haley's lips broke out into a wide smile displaying her teeth as she jumped up from the floor and joined him on the couch. "Nathan, you really didn't have to get me anything."

"I didn't." He stated as she sent him a confused look. "Sophie did." He corrected causing her to chuckle. "Sophie and I wanted to get you something. It's been a rough year, and you deserve to have something nice done for you on your birthday. So just accept it and open them." He ordered.

"Okay." She said taking the presents from him. Opening the first package, she saw a coupon for an all exclusive spa pack at The Ballantyne for two people. "This is like the perfect gift."

"Well, you should actually thank Quinn for this one, because I kind of went to her for present advice since I've never bought anything for a girl before."

"Really? Never?" She questioned as he shook his head in confirmation. She couldn't help but smile at that. Knowing that he had never done this-any of this-for another girl before made her feel special.

"After she suggested this, I actually thought it sounded like the perfect gift myself. I figured you could definitely use a day of complete and total relaxation. And it's for two people so you can ask someone to go with you."

"What? You don't want to go?" She asked teasingly.

"Not exactly my thing. And this should probably be a girl's day."

"Probably." She agreed.

"Well, here you go." He said handing her the second package. "Now this one, I picked out myself."

Ripping apart the wrapping paper, Haley was now holding a small velvet black jewelry box. Anticipation ran through her body while also feeling a bit of nervousness at what could be inside. Taking a deep breath, she opened the box. "Oh my...wow!" She stated breathlessly as she saw a pair of diamond earrings. "Nathan, these are...these are beautiful."

Nathan was relieved with her admiration of the earrings. He had a heck of a time trying to pick a present for her. He spent more than an hour in that jewelry store debating back and forth with what would be the best piece of jewelry. He knew he even drove the sales associate crazy with his indecisive nature, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to find Haley the perfect present. He knew not to get her something flashy or overly expensive, because that wasn't the type of person she was. He finally settled on this pair of earrings that stuck out to him, and he instantly pictured Haley wearing them. "You like them?"

"Yes. I love them. These must have cost a fortune, though."

"Hardly." He laughed.

"I just...wow, these are so beautiful." She gushed repeating her earlier words. She looked up and met his gaze, "Thank you, Nathan." She said with so much emotion.

"You're welcome, Haley."

They stared at one another, and they felt the atmosphere shifting around them. Haley watched as Nathan brought his hand up to the side of her face, and her breathing hitched. He gently tucked some hair behind her ear while softly rubbing it. "Those earrings are going to look amazing on you." He complimented.

Haley smiled as she continued to stare into his eyes. Gosh, she loved his eyes. They were the most expressive ocean blue color she had ever seen. She felt herself getting lost in them.

The sound of Sophie giggling had them breaking out of their trance as they turned their heads in her direction where she was pointing towards the television as a song was playing on the program she was watching while bouncing her head back and forth with the beat.

Haley lowered herself down to the ground as she crawled her way closer to the little girl. Reaching Sophie, she started tickling her profusely causing the little girl to giggle uncontrollably. Haley laughed along with her as she continued her attack. Nathan quickly jumped down over towards them as he wrapped his arms around Haley's waist and flung them backwards with him.

Haley yelped loudly clinging to Sophie as she found herself falling back. She noticed Nathan hovering above the both of them as he began attacking her with tickles much like she had done with Sophie just seconds earlier as loud, vibrating laughter could be heard throughout the apartment.

* * *

><p>Haley walked into the kitchen and saw Nathan cleaning up the mess left over from their earlier dinner which he had prepared himself-her favorite, chicken fettuccini, Caesar salad, and breadsticks drizzled with melted garlic butter and parmesan cheese. She was surprised at how amazing it had tasted. And she was even more surprised that he had remembered her favorite meal. Or maybe it was simply just a coincedence.<p>

She smiled as she moved closer to him. "Thanks for today, Nathan. It really meant a lot to me." She said as some thunder rumbled due to the storm that was currently hitting Charlotte.

"I actually have something else for you." He stated drying his hands off with a dish towel before opening the freezer and pulling out an ice cream cake. "It's mint chocolate chip. I went to Dairy Queen and asked if there was any way they could make one, and they said they could."

Haley smiled as she looked at the cake with the words 'Happy Birthday Haley' written across the surface. Tears invaded her eyes just thinking about how the day had been. She didn't even do anything "exciting". She spent the entire day with Nathan and Sophie in the apartment. But it was completely exciting, and it was truly the most perfect day.

Just then all of the lights went out.

An hour later after some of the cake was eaten in the candlelit apartment, Nathan and Haley found themselves laying on the carpet in front of the fireplace sipping some wine with Haley laying on her stomach with her left arm as well as the left side of her face resting comfortably on a pillow while Nathan was laying on his back with the back of his head resting on another pillow. The power was still out so the only light in the room was the light from the fireplace and the sporadic lightning from the windows. It was quiet as well-the only sounds which could be heard were the cackling of the wood and the fire and the thunder which would occasionally roar.

"Just out of curiosity, how long has it been since you last had sex? I mean, you're always with me or Sophie...unless you've been hooking up with random girls while on the road at the past couple of away games." Haley said letting out a small laugh even though the thought of him doing that was anything but funny. And she was really praying that wasn't the case.

"No, I haven't been doing that." He confirmed causing Haley to let out an inaudible sigh of relief. "Actually, the night before Lucas and Brooke died was the last time."

"Really?"

"Yup. If you haven't noticed, life has been a little crazy since then." He stated.

"I just assumed you found the time considering it's you." She teased as Nathan shook his head in amusement. "Not even when you had to come back here in August?" She couldn't help but question.

"I was only gone for a day. Less than a full day even and I was so busy with work that the thought of sex didn't even cross my mind. Believe me; I haven't had any in a long time." He responded drawling out the word 'long'.

"Gosh, that must be so hard for you." She said with dramatic emphasis followed by a sly smile.

Yeah, it definitely does get pretty hard." He grinned.

"I be...oh. Eww, gross!" She exclaimed slapping his arm lightly as he was now full-fledged laughing. "You are way too much sometimes."

Once his laughing calmed down, he watched as she rolled over onto her back with her hair fanning all over the pillow. The light from the fire was hitting her just right. He couldn't say it-rather think-it enough, but she really was beautiful. "So what about you?" He asked softly.

Sipping her wine, she inhaled a deep breath. "My freshman year at Stanford, I got partnered with this guy, Nick Williams, for a research paper in our economics class. We spent a lot of time together working and studying...even after our report was complete. We grew really close. Two months after we first initially met, he asked me out. We started dating regularly becoming official by the end of our freshman year. It got pretty serious, and before I even realized it, I was in love with him. He was just...he was amazing."

Nathan smiled as he watched and listened to her. She had this smile on her face that he had never really seen before. Or maybe he just chose not to see all these years.

"There was about a month left of our first semester sophomore year when I knew I was ready to take that next step with him. It was weird, because I was terrified but at the same time it still felt completely right. I didn't have any doubts and knew I wouldn't have any either. He made it so romantic, too. There were candles and flowers-things you see in movies. Totally cliché, I know." She said letting out a small chuckle. "But he knew how important this was for me, and it made me love him even more. So skipping all of the details, we made love for the first time. For my very first time. It really was the perfect experience. I couldn't have asked for a better way to lose my virginity. After that night, our relationship only grew stronger. I truly thought I had found the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with-marriage, kids...the whole shebang. But when our second semester started, my mom got sick, and I decided to drop out of college and come home. Nick was up for trying the long distance thing, but it became way too much for me, and I felt it was better to break it off completely. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever faced, but it was definitely the right one."

"Do you ever regret it?" He found himself asking while almost dreading her answer.

"No, I don't. It's weird almost, because I really did love him and saw a future with him, but when I had to make that decision it was the most logical choice. I mean, it was hard-very hard, but it felt like the only plausible one. And every day since then, I have never regretted it." She replied.

"Have you talked to him since?"

"Once. He called me after my mom died. I was shocked to hear from him, but it was so nice to hear his voice again. We had a great talk. He was dating someone, and it was pretty serious from what I gathered. And I remember feeling so happy and relieved that he had moved on and was able to fall in love again. I was worried about him. I was afraid he wouldn't have been able to move on." She stated.

"A little high on yourself, aren't you?" He teased.

Haley laughed, "You know what I mean." She said as he nodded. "Hearing that news, I knew for sure it was best choice for the both of us. He was happy, and I…well, I was getting there. My nursing career was going to be beginning soon, and I knew life would start to come together once again."

"And you haven't been with anyone since?"

"No, I haven't. I don't know, I guess I still want it to be special. I know I'm not a virgin anymore, but I still don't want to just give it away to just anyone. I don't want it to be cheap. It still means something to me. I guess that's the 'prude' in me talking, though." She said with a sigh.

"Haley, I don't think you're a prude." He stated.

"Really? I must have missed that all these years." She countered pointedly yet teasingly.

"Okay, let me rephrase that." He corrected before continuing. "Having spent some time with you and gotten to know you these past few months, I can admit that my judgment of you has been unfair. We were just so different, and you were an easy target. I'm sorry."

"Thank you. I'm sorry, too. I haven't exactly been completely fair to you either." She stated. "So…would you actually call us 'friends' now?" She asked amused.

"I think so." He responded with a chuckle.

"I like that-much more than the fighting." She said.

"Me, too. To us." He said holding up his wine glass.

"And Sophie." She added.

"To all of us." He said as they clinked their glasses together. "Happy birthday, Hales. I hope it was everything you wanted."

"It was perfect." She confirmed with great conviction as they shared a small smile.

**Okay, there is it. Please let me know what you guys think. **

**And a little fact for you just in case you care :)…I used to work at Dairy Queen in high school, and you really can get pretty much any kind of ice cream cake made. At least at the one where I worked at. I made specialty ones all the time. And I'm going to be cocky for a moment…I did make the best mint chocolate chip blizzards and shakes since that's my favorite type of ice cream. I mastered it. Not that any of this has anything to do with the story-just thought I'd share those facts with you. ;)**

**And I think I got the year date right when I did the flashback of Naley, but if I didn't...I apologize. All you really need to know was that it took place right before their sophomore year in high school. :)**

**A few 'spoilers' for the remainder of this story...more Naley connecting, maybe some passion ;), more flashbacks (more Lathan ones, too), and of course, what's a story without some drama which I know you are all looking forward to. LOL! That's all you need to know for now-I like to keep my readers in suspense. :D**

**Anyway, hopefully I'll have another chapter up for you guys soon. I'm pulling for either Wednesday or Thursday…it might be closer to Thursday, though. But hopefully soon.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Back with an update!**

**As always, thanks for all of the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. It's so good to know people are still enjoying it. And a huge thanks to courtneylovejason, rosepetal16, othfan48, illicitencounters, chase the memories, Hadley, HBJHOTH23 (also for chapters 16 and 17), kutebloo, J. Caroline, Steffsche, solo73, the kellay, Ellie, Kacey0, and JamesLover23 for taking the time to review. It's always such a pleasure to read your lovely words. They truly bring a smile to my face.**

**To answer someone's question...the story will be 30 chapters in total so only 11 more after this one. That _could_ change if I end up adding or deleting (definitely won't be deleting, though) things, but I do have the timeline all mapped out. I have a lot of stuff within each leftover chapter written, because I have this thing where I think of an idea and immediately have to write it down so I don't forget. Sometimes I'll randomly be just sitting around or out doing something, and I think of dialogue and all of that stuff so I'll just start writing. One time (and I can't believe I'm going to admit this) I was even in church and thought about something. I pulled out my phone and made a quick note in it before throwing it back into my purse. Not my proudest moment. Haha! ****So I actually have quite a bit of stuff written, but I also have quite a bit of stuff that I haven't written yet as well. But this story should be a total of 30 chapters.**

**And there's a little shout out to my other love...Grey's Anatomy in this chapter. :)**

**Anyway, enough talking and onto the reading. :)**

"Have I ever told you how much I hate the mall?" Nathan complained as he and Haley walked through the building with Sophie walking in between them holding each of their hands. He looked around and caught site of a group of younger teenage boys who were sitting by the fountain acting like complete idiots.

Haley glanced over at Nathan and laughed at the look of complete disgust on his face. "What is your problem?"

"I hate the mall. I hate loud, obnoxious teenagers. I hate the busyness. I hate the rude workers. I just hate it all." He stated.

"Well, tell me how you really feel." She laughed.

"Shoudn't those boys be in school right now?"

"What? You're telling me you never skipped. I know for a fact that's not true." She said sending him a pointed look, and the look on his face indicated that he knew exactly what moment she was referring to.

_The black Denali pulled up to the big, beautiful cabin in the isolated woods with the powder blue Volkswagon bug following suit. Brooke put the car in gear as she, Haley, Peyton, and Mouth climbed out of the small vehicle while Rachel, Bevin, Skills, Jake, Lucas, Nathan, Junk, and Fergie piled out of the SUV._

_"Now this is my kind of roughing it." Skills stated._

_"I thought you guys might like it." Rachel said as she led everyone inside._

_"Rachel, this place is awesome." Peyton gushed looking around at the interior of the cabin._

_"It's been in my family for years. We hardly come here anymore. My dad mostly loans it out to clients. Umm, the kitchen's fully loaded, there's a river for fishing, ATV's in the garage, Plasma TV upstairs, and a hot tub in the back. There are five bedrooms-take any one but the master since that is mine and Haley's." Rachel said smiling at Haley who reciprocated the gesture._

_"Let's go check them out." Peyton suggested as everyone took off in the directions of the stairs as Rachel led Haley towards the master bedroom which was downstairs._

_Later that night after everyone was fast asleep, Nathan walked out onto the patio instantly met with the crisp, fresh air. He heard a quiet grown and turned to his right where he saw Haley curled up in one of the patio chairs wrapped in a blanket. "Hales." He nodded at her smirking._

_Haley sarcastically smiled at him. She watched as he plopped down in the chair next to her causing her to recoil slightly away from him._

_"So what are you doing out here?" He questioned._

_"I couldn't sleep and thought some fresh air might do the trick. You?"_

_"The same." He answered._

_They sat there in silence staring at the thousands of stars in the dark, clearr sky never muttering a single word for thirty minutes. "You know," He began disrupting their quiet moment, "I'm surprised that you came."_

_"Why is that?"_

_"Well, we skipped school today to get an early start to our weekend out here, and I didn't peg you as the skipping school type." He explained._

_"Well, you assumed wrong." She quipped._

_Nathan smiled at her tone. She was way too easy. If ony she was easy in the other sense as well. He quickly shook his head ridding himself of those types of thoughts. She did look kind of adorable sitting there all bundled up, though. Gosh, he had to stop thinking things like that. "So have you decided what you're donig after graduation?" He asked hoping to get his mind thinking about something else-anything else._

_"Stanford."_

_"Figures." He scoffed in a non-menacing tone. "Ivy league-that makes sense." He added._

_"And what about you?" She challenged. "What basketball ridden school are you heading to?"_

_"Duke."_

_"Figures." She mimicked his tone from earlier as they both managed to laugh. "Have any plans for the summer?" She asked. She couldn't believe the lame small talk they were making, but it definitely beat the fighting right now so she was going to keep it going._

_"Actually, I'll be in Florida all summer at this basketball camp." He answered._

_"That's great." She stated a little too enthusiastically._

_"Please don't try to hide you sadness or anything." He laughed._

_"Okay, I won't." She replied without skipping a beat as she sent a smile his way. "No, but that's really cool."_

_Nathan chuckled at her obvious lie, "And what are you summer plans?"_

_"Oh, I have big plans for the summer. For one thing, I'll be working. For another thing, I'll be working. And finally..."_

_"Let me guess...working?" He jumped in._

_"Close, but actually I was going to say hanging out with Brooke, and I have no idea what she has planned for this summer." __She said. A small breeze blew over them making Haley realize just how chilly the air was as she shivered even under her blanket._

_Nathan noticed Haley shiver, "You cold?"_

_"A little." She admitted following his lead as he stood up and headed inside. "Are you heading to bed?" She questioned._

_"I'm not really tired."_

_"Me neither. I was planning on grabbing some really bad junk food and veging out in front of the television. You want to join me?"_

_"Sure. I've got nothing better to do."_

_The two grabbed some snacks before settling on the couch sharing the blanket Haley was using outside while watching Knocked Up-both in the mood for a funny comedy, and the selection was actually pretty limited._

_The next morning, Brooke tiredly walked downstairs rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Walking through the living on her way towards the kitchen, she noticed two bodies tangled up together on the couch. But what had her stopping dead in her tracks was the fact that it was Nathan and Haley-her best friend and her best friend's "supposed" mortal enemy. She observed their position. Nathan was laying flat on his back with Haley's back facing the television as her body was draped on top of him encased in his arms. "Well, well...what do we have here?"_

_Nathan stirred in his sleep hearing Brooke's voice. He grew confused feeling a little weight practically on top of his body. __"What the he..." He began looking down and noticing Haley who snuggled more into his chest._

_Haley was peacefully sleeping when she felt a hard push causing her to fly backwards. The next thing she knew, she was on the floor. "Ouch." She looked up and saw Nathan sitting up on the couch. "You pushed me off the couch." She bit out incredulously._

_"Next time don't fall asleep on me."_

_"You are such a jackass. I could have gotten hurt." She quipped pushing herself off of the floor._

_"Quit being so damn dramatic." He scolded rolling his eyes. "And really, Hales, if you wanted to get that close to me, all you have to do is say so." He added while grabbing her by the hips pulling her down in his lap._

_"Don't touch me!" She warned slapping him hard on his arm causing his arms to loosen as she pushed them away from her so she could stand up once again._

_Brooke raised one of her eyebrows as she watched their exchange. A smirk formed from her lips. "Hate each other my ass." __She muttered under her breath. She watched as Haley stalked off angrily as Nathan laughed watching her retreating form. __"Nathan, why are you such a jerk?"_

_"It's a gift, what can I say?"_

_Brooke rolled her eyes before following the footsteps of her friend. "Haley." The brunette sing-songed arriving in the master bedroom where Haley was sifting through her packed suitcase. "Do you want to explain to me why I just found my BFF curled up-looking quite content if I may say so myself-with the guy who she apparently 'hates'?"_

_"It was nothing. We just fell alseep." Haley dismissed tossing her blonde hair up in a pony tail._

_"But what were you two doing together in the first place?"_

_"I couldn't sleep. He couldn't sleep. We watched a movie. We fell asleep. Nothing more. Nothing less."_

_"You sure about that, because from what I saw you two looked a little too cozy for it to be that simple." Brooke argued._

_"Brooke." Haley said exasperated._

_"Haley." The brunette mimicked. "Come on, bestie, you know there's something totally there between you and Nathan."_

_"Brooke! For the last time, there's noth..."_

_"Oh my God!" A voice interrupted. They turned and saw Rachel sitting up in the bed. "As much as I love to hear about Nathan and Haley's obvious sexual tension..." She began as Brooke sent Haley a pointed look while smiling triumphantly. __"I swear I will punch you two in the face if you don't either shut the hell up or get out of this room so I can actually sleep." __The red head threatened before falling back down onto the mattress._

_"And I thought Peyton wasn't a morning person." Brooke said bringing her hand up in a claw while making catfight noises. "Let's go, Hales, before Sleeping Bitchy here attacks."_

_"Sorry, Rach." Haley apologized as Brooke dragged her out of the bedroom. The girls arrived in the kitchen just seconds later. Brooke plopped down on the stool at the island while Haley rummaged through the refrigerator. "Pancakes?" She asked._

_"Umm, yum!" Brooke said._

_"So what's on your agenda today, Tigger?"_

_"Not 'your'...our." Brooke corrected. "We are breaking out a bottle of wine and getting in that hot tub for some major relaxation."_

_"And what about Lucas?"_

_"Who cares? He get me at night." Brooke stated suggestively wiggling her eyebrows causing Haley to laugh. "Besides I think he and Nathan were going to go fishing."_

_"Fishing? Yeah, I can't see Nathan fishing." Haley stated laughing._

_"That makes two of us. But as long as they don't interrupt our girl time then I don't care what they do."_

_"Be careful there, Tigger. This is Nathan we are talking about. He would probably take Lucas to some nasty strip club if he heard you say something like that." Haley replied._

_"Then he will have to deal with me as will Lucas if that happens."_

_"Hell hath no fury like Brooke scorned." Haley teased._

_Three hours later, Nathan and Lucas were relaxing in a boat in the middle of the river with their fishing rods in the water hoping to catch some fish. "I'm glad we all decided to do this." Lucas stated._

_"Yeah, it's nice to get away. No school. No worries. And more importantly, no Dan." Nathan said._

_"How are things going for you guys?"_

_"Same. Gosh, I can't wait to leave for High Flyers and get out of that house." Nathan replied._

_Lucas nodded in complete understanding. He really felt for Nathan. For years, he felt jealous of him, because their dad actually wanted him. But ever since he and Nathan had put aside their differences and developed an actual relationship with one another, he realized he was the lucky one. To not be trapped under Dan's control and power was_ the_ greatest thing Dan could have done for him. It's true that he has become "closer" to Dan, but he still was grateful that he didn't have to live with him the way Nathan had to. He saw what it did to his brother, and he hated it. "Well, it's just a couple months away."_

_"Thank God. What about you? Are you ready for UNCW?" Nathan asked._

_"Definitely. Still be in North Carolina. Still be close to Brooke. Still close to you and my parents. I am ready."_

_"And how are you feeling? I mean, HCM wise?"_

_"It's there, and I'm still here. It's kind of nice, though, with basketball over. Even though, I wasn't playing as much and as long and as hard as I was before finding out about HCM, it still took a lot out of me. I feel perfectly fine." Lucas responded._

_"That's good. However, no offense, but it shows. I mean, it's very clear that you haven't been working out as much. Luke, man, you're looking a little flabby." Nathan teased good-naturedly while slapping his brother on the stomach._

_Lucas pushed Nathan's hand away, "I still look good. Maybe not as fit as you, but I still look good. And as long as Brooke is happy then I am happy. And I know first hand how much she still loves and appreciates my body."_

_"God, Luke, I don't want to hear that kind of crap." Nathan cringed as Lucas started laughing._

_"I can't believe we are almost done with high school. One month till prom and two months till graduation." Lucas stated. __"Speaking of...who are you taking to prom?"_

_Nathan cringed at the mention of prom. He did not want to think about prom. He didn't even want to go. It was such a stupid tradition, and he didn't want to get dressed up in some ridiculous penguin suit. The only thing good about prom was the after prom party which he was throwing at his parent's beach house. "I don't know, and I don't care." He answered with an annoyed tone._

_"What about Ashley?" Lucas asked._

_"Ashely? You mean the girl who is so on and off again with Fede. I don't think so. Plus, she's annoying as hell."_

_"Well, she's totally into you-has been since freshmen year from what I hear. I swear she practically drools when she's within five feet of your radius. I'm sure she'd dump everything having to do with Fede for a chance to get with you."_

_"Shut up, man." Nathan laughed shoving his brother._

_"What? It's true." Lucas defended. "You know, there's always another option."_

_"Oh yeah, who's that?"_

_"Haley." Lucas answered simply._

_"Yeah, okay." Nathan stated through his laughter. He turned and noticed the look of complete seriousness on his brother's face. "You are joking, right?"_

_"Not really."_

_"Why in the world would I ever take or even think about taking Haley? In case you missed it, we hate each other. I hate her. __She hates me. So again, why would I take her?" Nathan bit out incredulously._

_"Maybe because hate seems to be the new...oh I don't know...like." Lucas challenged._

_"I do not like her. I don't have feelings that I'm trying to hide away. And you need to cut it out with that crap." Nathan said sternly raising his voice indicating his anger as he focused his attention towards his fishing rod._

_Lucas smirked at his brother's response and attitude. "It's just as well..." He began turning towards his fishing rod as well. __"I heard Trevor was thinking about asking her." He finished casually trying a different approach._

_"What?" Nathan questioned immediately turning back towards his brother. "Trevor Daniels? Trevor as in the captain of the football team?"_

_"Yeah." Lucas stated shrugging. "You know she was tutoring him to help get his grade back up so he could still be eligible to play football as well as help him earn that scholarship to the University of Notre Dame. You know...since he's such a good player and is so highly wanted at many schools." He continued trying to egg his brother on even though it was still the truth. "Apparently, he developed quite the little crush on our Haley and was thinking prom might be the perfect time to act on those feelings."_

_"How do you know all of this?"_

_"Hello. My girlfriend is Brooke Davis. She knows pretty much everything." Lucas answered._

_"Well, that's..." Nathan stammered as Lucas looked at him knowingly. "Figures." Nathan scoffed. "A football player. Well, __Haley certainly picks below the belt, doesn't she? And Trevor...really? They actually seem pretty perfect for one another. __They're both pathetic and full of themselves. He's a punk ass bitch. She's a bitch. Yup, match made in heaven."_

_Lucas chuckled at Nathan's response. "You sound a little jealous." He challenged._

_"That's hilarious, Luke. I am not jealous." Nathan scoffed._

_"Whatever you say, little brother." Lucas stated. "And by the way, the whole 'full of themselves' description kind of describes you more than it does them."_

_Nathan rolled his eyes while shaking his head. "Whatever." He muttered._

"Let's just get this over with." He muttered as they walked into the open doorway of the store. Making their way up to the counter, they patiently waited for an employee to come and assist them. About a minute later, a younger girl rushed over to them. "I'm sorry you guys to had to wait." She said out of breath coming to stand in front of them. "Hi, I'm Amie. What can I help you with?"

"We would like to get this little one's..." Nathan began pointing towards Sophie who was now in Haley's arms. "ears pierced for the first time."

"Oh, how fun!" The girl said enthusiastically. "Well, we can certainly take care of that for you guys. Why don't you go wait over at the chair right over there," She started pointing in the directing to their right. "And I will go find someone who can do that for you guys."

Nathan and Haley issued out a 'thank you' before turning around and walking over to the chair as Nathan complained about the girl's overly annoying perkyness. Haley shook her head in amusement as she placed Sophie in the chair and suddenly felt a wave of intense nervousness pass through her body. She couldn't do this. "Nathan, I don't think we should do this."

"Why not?"

"Because she's just a baby, and I can't watch her go through any pain. I can't. What if something happens and her ears get infected? What if something happens and they get ripped out of her ears? Things like that happen, you know. And a lot of books and sites online say that it's best to wait until she can take care of the cleaning and stuff herself. I think this is a bad idea." She said as tears flooded her eyes.

Nathan smiled while walking closer to her after making sure Sophie was okay. He wrapped his arms around her, "Hales, it's okay. We will clean the area every single day multiple times a day, and we'll watch her closely. Sophie's a tough kid, and she needs you to be tough for her now as well. Okay?"

"Are we ready?" Another voice asked causing them to turn only breaking apart slightly seeing another sales associate. She chuckled at the look on Haley's face. "I'm Cindy, and I promise to take good care of her. It will be over and done with in just a couple minutes."

Haley nodded her head as Nathan squeezed her shoulder before letting her go so he could go stand on the other side of Sophie. Haley wiped the tears from her eyes which were threatening to fall as she stepped as close to Sophie as she could get. "Sophie, this will probably hurt, but it will be really quick, okay. You be my strong little girl, and then we can get some ice cream later."

Nathan shot a look her way, "Really? You're going to bribe her with ice cream."

"She's gettings holes poked into her ears. I'll give her whatever the hell she wants. And you can leave me alone." She quipped.

Cindy laughed at their banter as she rubbed some alcohol on the little girl's ears. Sophie giggled at her causing her to instantly smile. She always hated piercing the ears of babies. Most couldn't talk-or at least talk well-and couldn't tell you if they're okay, and they usually couldn't understand you fully. "Okay, Sophie, are you ready?" She asked in a high-pitched voice full of excitement. She learned one thing, though-babies tended to respond and react better if there was a certain level of excitement in your voice as well as in your body language. Bringing the gun up to and around the lower half of her left ear, she pulled the small trigger.

Immediately after, Sophie began crying. Haley felt her heart breaking as she listened to her cries. "It's okay, sweetie." She stated rubbing the little girl's back trying to soothe her. "I told you." She bit out harshly looking up at Nathan. "That's it, we're done."

"Hales, we can't come here and get one of her ears pierced and not the other." Nathan argued.

"Her ear will close up." She countered.

"Sophie's going to be fine. It's just a little pain, but it will pass." He stated and watched as she shook her head in stubbornness. "Haley." He stated more sternly.

Haley took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After just a couple seconds, she opened them and saw Sophie reaching for her still crying. "Okay, baby, one more. You can do this, sweetie." She said reassuringly cupping her face in between her hands and kissing her on the forehead. "Okay, just do it." Haley stated moving backwards so the sales associate could get to the other ear.

Cindy brought the gun up once again and placed it around Sophie's right ear and shot it producing more cries from her. Once she was finished with all of the steps necessary, Sophie reached for Haley again. Haley quickly picked her up and held her closely to her chest as Sophie continued to cry. "It's all done, Sophie. You did so great." She said rubbing her back.

Cindy proceeded to give them the instructions for treatment to prevent any types of infections and things like that as Nathan and Haley listened closely before telling them if that's all they need, they can meet her at the cash register to pay.

"Why don't you take Sophie out of the store and wait for me." Nathan suggested as Haley nodded and left the store while he followed Cindy back to the check out line. "So...were we your worst clients ever?" He asked jokingly.

Cindy laughed, "Actually, no. Believe it or not, I've dealt with much much worse." She stated as he handed her his credit card so she could run it through the cash register. "And Haley was fine. She was just being a mom which by the way, your daughter is adorable."

Nathan looked up suddenly at those words. He turned and saw Haley standing right outside of the store holding Sophie who was still clinging to her, but he could tell her crying was calming down slightly. He watched as Haley continued to rub her back as she swayed them back and forth slowly. He instantly smiled at the sight. _Mom and daughter_. He loved the sound of those words.

"Here you go, sir." Cindy's voice broke him out of his trance as he turned back around. "You are all set." She said handing him his credit card along with the small bag full of treatment care. "Have a good day."

"Thank you. You, too." He said while putting his credit card back into his wallet before leaving the store clutching the bag in his left hand.

Forty-five minutes later, the three of them were sitting in the food court on the lower level of the Northlake Mall eating a quick lunch snack at Auntie Anne's. Sophie was still sitting in Haley's lap as she shared some of her pretzel with the little girl. Sophie refused to leave from Haley's embrace. Even to Nathan who tried to take her from Haley when they were in line waiting, but Sophie clung tightly to her. He even made the comment "Remember when you said you think she likes me better than you" before laughing it off understanding that Sophie wanted a motherly figure right now.

The mall was quiet today which was expected considering it was a weekday in the early afternoon. A time and day they specifically chose to avoid the chaos of weekend and night shoppers and since malls were the typical hangouts for teenagers with nothing better or worse to do outside of school hours.

Fortunately, there has only been a couple people who stopped them from recognition. One happened to be the male employee at Auntie Anne's who took their orders while the other one was a boy who was a student at UNC who happened to be an avid NBA, specifically Bobcats, fan. His girlfriend was also with him who gushed over Sophie with Haley as the two guys talked basketball for a little bit before respecfully splitting ways.

"So how is it that you got your belly button pierced? No offense, but you don't seem like the type to get anything other than her ears pierced." Nathan questioned.

Haley laughed. "You're right. It wasn't my idea at all, and I did not want to do it. It was the summer after I had moved back home. My mom was sick, and I was working crazy hours to help with the bills and stuff. I was just exhausted. I didn't really do anything except work and hang out with Brooke, and the work was definitely overshadowing that even. There was one weekend when I had off due to Brooke pretty much forcing me to. She said I was getting burnt out and needed a break. We went out to a club, drank way too much..." She began laughing. "Anyway, Brooke got this 'fantastic' idea to get tattoos, and we found ourselves at a tattoo parlor. I couldn't go through with it. The thought of having something so permanately etched into my skin was way too much for me. And I don't exactly have the highest pain tolerance. So I watched from the sidelines as Brooke got her tattoo, and don't ask me to tell you where it's located at on her body."

"I won't." Nathan laughed.

"After she was finished, we were still a little buzzed, and she told me that if I didn't get a tattoo then I had to get a piercing of some kind. After many debates, we settled on my belly button. Still to this day, I am so surprised that I actually went through with it. And it hurt. God, did it hurt? Maybe I'm a baby, and I'll admit that, but it hurt. If I wasn't drunk, I can tell you that I certainly wouldn't have found the courage to do it."

"Do you regret it?" He asked.

"No, not at all. It was like the first 'reckless' thing I have ever done so I'm actually proud of it." She answered. "And I'll never forget what Brooke said after. It was a pretty slow night so the guys who worked there had us stay there while we sobered up more. We were in one of the back rooms laying on our backs. Brooke looked at me and said, 'When we're old and our husbands have died, will you promise to live with me so we can drink daily and keep each other company?' I, of course, said yes. We had a good laugh. It was good night. A fun, spontaneous night with my best friend that I'll never forget."

* * *

><p>Nathan fell onto the couch brushing right up against Haley. "Hello! Person sitting here!" She bit out shoving him causing his upper body moved slightly away from her.<p>

"Hello!" He mimicked. "You're the one who is sitting in the middle of the couch."

"You've got a point." She smirked before shoving a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"That looks good. Let me have a bite." He demanded.

"Go get a spoon."

"Oh come on, we can share." He said a she begrudgingly handed the spoon along with the pint of ice cream over to him. Eating a spoonful, he handed the utensil back to her.

Haley looked at the spoon in disgust. "You could have at least licked it clean. Your spit is all over the spoon." She complained incredulously.

"So?"

"So? That's disgusting!"

"Just pretend I'm kissing you with tongue. It's the same thing." He said winking.

"Umm...no. Lick the spoon clean!" She ordered thrusting the metal object towards him.

Nathan rolled his eyes before doing what she told him to. Finished, he handed the utensil back to her, "Happy now?"

"Yes." She smiled triumphantly digging up a spoonful for yourself and shoving it into her mouth.

"You do realize that you're pretty much eating my spit anyway, don't you?"

"There's a difference." She responded.

"Not really but whatever." He mumbled turning his attention towards the television. "You know..." He began shifting his head in her direction again, "we could swap some real spit. It would definitely be ten times better than passing it along with a spoon. Come on, you know you want to." He said teasingly yet serious at the same time.

"Please. You are so full of yourself."

"No, I'm sure of myself. And if you just let loose a little bit I could prove that to you. I could prove just how good it really would be. You know, kind of like at the game." He said smirking at the blush which quickly appeared on her face. He laughed in amusement before changing the subject which was probably a good idea for himself, too, considering he also didn't need to be reminded of their kiss at the game, "So what's going on here?" He asked gesturing towards the television.

"Oh, this is one of my favorite episodes of Grey's Anatomy! There are two hospitals which ended up merging together, and now all of these doctors have to work together. There are basically two sides-Seattle Grace and Mercy West. Needless to say, they don't trust each other. Anyway, there's been a hotel fire and this woman ended up dying at the fault of one of the doctors, and now everyone who was working that night is getting questioned on what happened to cause her death."

"Sounds exciting." He muttered disinterested.

"It is, and I don't appreciate your sarcasm, mister."

"You know, there's an exciting game on ESPN right now." He said grinning at her.

"And?"

"And it's really exciting."

"I'm sure it is." She stated keeping her eyes on the television.

"Come on, Hales, you know you want to watch it."

"Not really since we always have to watch some kind of game...but I will let you rub my feet." She said smirking at him.

Nathan looked at her and laughed at the smirk on her face. Her face was all scrunched up-she looked so cute. "The things I do for you, Haley James." He sighed.

"Yah!" She exclaimed shifting on the couch so she could lay down on her bak plopping her feet up in his lap.

Nathan started rubbing her feet and couldn't help but think back to the last time he did this for her. He let out an inaudible sigh-God, she better not moan the way she did last time. He could not deal with that right now.

The two were quiet as they sat on the couch, Nathan rubbing her feet while they watched the rest of the show which was currently on the television.

Haley couldn't help but think about everything she talked to Quinn about just a couple weeks prior. It has been plagueing her ever since, and she knew she had to talk to Nathan about it. She had to clear the air on a lot of stuff, and she knew she should do it sooner rather than later. But was it the right time? That was the question which kept holding her back and causing her to postpone bringing it up. She had to. She couldn't keep putting it off. "Nathan." She found herself saying before she even realized what she was doing.

"Yeah?" He questioned slightly distracted by what they were watching.

"Do you ever think about the future?"

That caught Nathan's attention as he turned and looked at her confused, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you ever think about the future...now that we have Sophie? Do you ever think about what we're going to do?" She asked as he looked surprised by her questions. "I know this sounds really random, but I've been thinking about it for awhile now, and I just can't seem to get this out of my mind. I know we don't really know what the future holds or where we'll be and end up or anything of the sorts, but I can't help but wonder. I mean, what happens if you...or I...meet someone? What happens with Sophie? How will we figure all of that stuff out?"

"I don't know, Hales." He stated rubbing the back of his neck.

"You haven't thought about it at all?" She couldn't help but question.

"Of course I've thought about it. But I don't have any answers for you, because the truth is I don't know. I don't know what will happen in a few years or months or even weeks from now. I don't know anything, and I don't know what to tell you." He answered as well as he could. He glanced over at Haley and saw from the look on her face that his words weren't exactly the answer she was looking for. "I'm sorry, Hales, that I don't have a better answer for you."

"No, it's okay. It's not that...it's just that this is all so confusing now, and I don't know what is going to happen. I'm so used to trying to plan out my life. Even after I had to drop out of school and rearrange my plans, I was still able to create a different plan for my life. But now, I don't know how to plan for anything. Everything is so uncertain and everything could change in an instant. I don't have any answers for anything either, and I guess I was just hoping for some kind of...I don't even know...I guess I was hoping you might have a better answer to everything than I do."

"Well, I think the best thing I could say is that we just have to take things one day at a time. We don't know what the future holds so why don't we just focus on the present-right now-instead of trying to figure things out." He suggested.

"That works." She agreed smiling softly at him.

Nathan could tell by the way she was biting her lip that there was something else plagueing her mind. He had grown to read her over the past months, and he knew she was thinking deeply about something else. "What is it?" He asked.

"It's nothing." She dismissed.

"Hales, just tell me. There's obviously something else that's bothering you so please talk to me."

"There's...I'm going to ask you something, and I really don't want you to get mad or upset when I ask you this. I hate that I'm even thinking it, but it's here in my mind, and I can't stop it. But please don't get mad." She pleaded as he nodded at her apprehensively while promising her that he wouldn't get mad. "You're not going to leave us, are you? I mean, Sophie...you're not going to just decide one day that you can't handle this and leave her, right?" She questioned.

Nathan was completely shocked by her question. He wasn't angry or upset honestly, because he could hear the terrified vulnerability in the way she asked him, and he realized that this was a genuinely sincere fear of hers. "Hales, I don't know what the future holds...but I can promise you that I'm not going anywhere. I love Sophie with all that I have, and she's Lucas' daughter. I can't, and I won't turn my back on her. And I would never leave you with that burden-not that Sophie's a burden, but you know what I mean..." He began as she nodded. "I would never leave that on you alone. We're in this together-no matter what the future holds. What I said when we went ice skating is still true and will not change. It's you, me, and Sophie no matter what or who may come into our lives. I'm not going anywhere." He affirmed.

"Okay." Haley said almost breathlessly as she nodded her head.

"What about you? Are you going anywhere?" He couldn't help but question.

"No. I'm not going anywhere." She affirmed.

"Then we're in this together." He said and was surprised when she pushed herself up from her position on the couch and threw her arms around him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist bringing her in closer to him so she was practically sitting in his lap.

* * *

><p>A couple days later, Nathan was in Phoenix as the Bobcats had just taken on the Suns resulting in their thirteenth victory of the season winning sixty-two percent of their games so far this season which was a definite positive to where they stood a year prior around this time.<p>

In the hotel room, Nathan was currently flipping through the pictures on his phone. He sifted through the dozens and dozens pictures he had of Sophie alone as well as Haley and Sophie together. A boisterous smile formed from his lips as he continued to look through them. "You miss them, don't you?" A voice asked. He turned to his left where he saw Clay standing at his side looking over his shoulder at the pictures as well.

"Of course I miss Sophie."

"No...you miss them." Clay corrected patting his friend on the back knowingly before heading into the bathroom leaving Nathan with his thoughts. Nathan turns back to his phone where a picture of Haley and Sophie from just a few days ago was displayed on the screen. Smiling, he immediately hit the number one on his speed dial and listened through a couple rings before hearing her voice. "Hi." He greeted.

"Hey, I caught the game. Congratulations." Haley said cheerfully.

"You watched?" He questioned surprised.

"Of course. Well to be completely honest, I caught bits and pieces of it. Sophie kind of had me running all over the place today, but I kept checking in for the score and stuff." She replied as she fell onto the couch draping the throw on the back of the couch over her body. "I'm exhausted. Sophie is finally sleeping, and I can finally rest. Don't be surprised if you come home tomorrow and the place is a mess."

"That's fine." He chuckled. "I can clean up tomorrow."

"So what are you doing right now?"

"Besides talking to you." He teased as she let out a laugh. "Just sitting here in the hotel wishing I was at home in my own bed. I think I'm getting old." He stated as he lounged back on the bed up against the headboard while kicking off his shoes.

"And why do you think that?"

"Because I'm tired of traveling." He chuckled. "I just hate sleeping in random hotel rooms all the time, and I hate being away from home. I hate being away from you guys."

Haley smiled, "Yeah, Sophie misses you when you're gone."

"I miss her, too-so much. And I miss you." He said saying the last part quietly.

Haley was surprised at his admission as well as the soft, quiet way he said it. Sinking further into the couch, she closed her eyes and smiled. "I miss you, too." She admitted mirroring his tone. And she did. She really did. She wanted him here with her and with Sophie. It was much better when he was at home with them.

**There you go. I know that last part was a little short, but I think it got the message it needed to get out. ;) So please let me know what you guys think. And things may be heating up soon between Nathan and Haley. Or I might tease you guys a little bit more. Haha! And here's another little spoiler for you guys...be on the lookout for jealous Nathan. He might be making an appearance soon, and who doesn't love a jealous Nathan? :)**

**Anyway, I hope to have another chapter for you guys soon. I am aiming for Saturday-not completely sure, but I think I should be able to without any problems unless something unexpected comes up. If I don't then have a wonderful weekend!**

**Okay, I have to just talk for a moment about something not related to this story or OTH at all so if you want to read go ahead, but if not that's cool, too. :) I don't know if anyone here watches Private Practice, but if so, how did you feel about the season finale? I really wasn't sure about it since it was SUCH a controversial issue and given that I'm currently pregnant, I thought my emotions were going to be all over the place. And they were, but I actually found myself supporting Amelia's choice. I like that they showed her researching who her baby could save if she donated his organs and the way she went about things. I can't even imagine making a decision like that, and gosh, I'm crying just thinking about it. Haha! But I thought the way PP went about it was good and sympathetic. I completely respect anyone who's against what happened, but I just was actually surprised by how supportive and understanding I was of the situation, and I'm not the biggest Amelia fan. And that scene after she gave birth and was holding him and then had to give him away...broke my heart.**

**And in other news...who's watching the Grey's Anatomy finale tonight? I am! I am so anxious for what's going to happen. Is someone going to actually die? I can't wait!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Back with another update! Sorry, I wanted to get this up earlier for you guys, but I was exhausted and not feeling the greatest so I tried to sleep in and just relax in bed all day. :)**

**So I just want to say thanks for all of the story alerts I'm receiving and have received for this story. And as always, a huge thanks to anom, grumpie2003, Othfan48, rosepetal16, Ellie, Tutourgirl23, Hadley, JamesLover23, courtneylovejason, thekellay, and kutebloo for your awesome reviews.**

**So because of the delay, I made this chapter extra long for you guys. I actually combined two chapters I had originally planned which gives me an extra chapter to write. And just a little correction I have to make-I don't know if any of you remember but in a previous chapter I talked about how Mouth and Millie were getting married in six months, but it's actually been longer than that. I know it's just a small detail which I doubt you guys even remembered, but I just wanted it known that I'm changing that little detail, because as I was writing out my timeline, the whole six months thing didn't really work out. :)**

**Anyway enough talking and onto the reading. Enjoy!**

_March 23, 2012_

Nathan walked through the door of the apartment closing it behind him while dropping his keys down on the dining room table. The first thing he noticed was how quiet the apartment was which was really unusual. Passing through the living room, he noticed it empty as he made his way towards Sophie's bedroom where he saw her peacefully sleeping in her crib. Smiling, he quietly exited the bedroom closing the door behind him before making his way towards Haley's bedroom where the door was opened.

Walking in, he stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed Haley standing there in nothing but her underwear. In lacy black underwear to be exact. She was facing away from him in front of her bed giving him the perfect backside visual.

Haley turned around, "Nathan!" She exclaimed startled.

Yup, the frontal view was even more perfect as she stood facing him in her lacy black plunge bra causing her breasts to be pushed up while showing off a considerably decent amount of cleavage. His eyes travelled down her toned stomach seeing the small diamond piece of jewelry dangling from her belly button and passed her hips where his eyes zoned in on her small, lacy black string bikini style panties and on passed her shapely thighs down her legs.

"Nathan!" She exclaimed capturing his attention back up to her eyes. Having nothing around to hide herself, she tried covering her body as well as she could using her hands-at least to cover her breasts.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I should have knocked but the door was open, and I...gosh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I should have shut the door, but I wasn't expecting you back so soon, and Sophie had thrown up all down my clothes and..." She rambled before pausing.

"Yeah, I, umm...I still should have knocked. Again, I'm sorry."

"Okay, let's just agree that we are both at fault." She said letting out a small laugh.

Nathan nodded as he continued to stare at her almost naked form.

"Nathan," she began gaining his attention once again, "do you think you could...you know," she asked gesturing towards the door, "leave so I can get dressed?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." He apologized sheepishly before rushing out of the bedroom closing the door behind him.

Five minutes later, Haley walked into the living room where she found Nathan sitting in the reclining chair. "So...happy birthday." She laughed awkwardly.

Nathan couldn't help but chuckle at her. "Hi."

"What are you doing home so early? I didn't think you'd be back for another three hours." She asked taking a seat on the couch.

"Our marketing meeting was cut short. A bunch of guys were going to go out for the evening, and asked if I wanted to go with them."

"Oh, well, you can if you want to. It's your birthday, and if you want to hang out with the guys, I completely understand." She said.

"No, it's fine. I'm really not in the mood to go out. I would actually rather stay in with you and Sophie." He admitted.

"Good, because that's what Sophie and I want, too." She said softly as they shared a sweet smile. "Well, anyway, I have a birthday present for you."

"Oh, that display earlier wasn't my birthday present, because I'd be fine with it if it were." He teased smirking at the blush covering her face as she glanced down.

After collecting herself, she looked back up at him. "I actually had a bunch of stuff planned, but clearly it's not ready since I thought you were coming home later." She said letting out a chuckle which he reciprocated. "So I have a request for you. Are you tired?"

He looked at her confused, "Yeah, kind of."

"Okay, this is my request. How about you go take a nap or whatever you feel like doing as long as you do it in your bedroom and not come out until I'm ready for you. Sophie's sleeping, and this will give me the chance to get everything I had planned ready. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure." He laughed. "But really, Hales, I don't need anything elaborate or anything like that. Just being here at home with you guys is more than enough."

"I know, but you made my birthday so special, and I want to return the favor. I'm not the only one who's had a rough year, Nathan, and you also deserve to have something nice done for you on your birthday. So please just let me do this. I promise it's not going to be anything too elaborate. It will be simple, and it will be just you, me, and Sophie." She said.

Nathan nodded, "Okay. I will go lock myself away in my bedroom until you give me the okay to come out. Plus, I am a little tired so a nap does sound really nice right now." He stood up as she quickly followed suit. "Well, I guess I'll see you later." He said as she nodded. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on her forehead before turning and walking away from her and disappearing into his room.

Haley reached up and touched her forehead in the area where he kissed. She could still feel the tingling sensation lingering there. She smiled softly before taking a deep breath and walking away.

Two hours later, Haley knocked on the door to Nathan's bedroom. When she received no answer, she opened the door and walked in. He was still sleeping in his bed. "Nathan." She said inching closer to him. She bent down and gently shook his shoulder. "Nathan."

"Hmm...what?" He questioned groggily.

"I'm ready for you, but you're welcome to sleep a little longer if you'd like."

"No, I'm up." He said opening his sleepy eyes while slowly sitting up. He shook the comforter off of his body and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He extended his arms towards her. He heard her chuckled as she clasped their hands together. She tugged backwards pulling him up. She lost her footing as she stumbled back. Nathan quickly wrapped his arms around her waist stopping her from falling down, and he brought her in closer to him so her chest was practically molded into his. "You know, this is turning out to be a great birthday." He said huskily causing a shiver to go down her spine.

Detaching themselves from each other, Nathan follwed Haley out into the living room. He smiled as he saw a streamer with the words 'Happy Birthday' dangling across the fireplace mantel. There was a set of balloons in the bobcats colors taped to both ends of the fireplace. He couldn't help but laugh. "Am I five?" He teased her.

"Haha." She deadpanned.

"This is great, Hales." He said in appreciation. It was then that he noticed Sophie who was wearing a Duke onsie standing on the floor next to the couch. He turned to Haley, and he realized she was wearing his old Ravens jersey. God, she looked good wearing his clothes. Sophie tugging on his pants leg caught his attention as he bent down and picked up the little girl who was reaching for him. "Hey, sweetie. It's so good to see you." He said hugging her tightly.

"Well, if you haven't noticed, we have a little theme going on." Haley stated.

"Really? Nope, I hadn't noticed." He josted.

"Anyway...so I made us some barbeque and buffalo wings which is a popular food while watching sports I learned."

"I love wings." He stated.

"I know-that's the first and main reason why I made them." She replied. Over the course of the next hour, the three of them ate the wings along with some chips and queso cheese dip Haley had made from scratch and some other finger foods and of course, some beer which was a must have surrounding sports.

"Well, that was freaking amazing, Hales." He praised as they along with Sophie walked into the living room. "And I am full." He added rubbing his stomach.

"That's why I think Sophie and I should give you your present first before we get into the dessert." Haley said as the two of them took a seat on the couch. "So...are you ready?" She asked as he nodded. She stood up from the couch and walked over to the fireplace where a rectangular package was sitting on the mantel. Grabbing it, she sauntered back over to him resuming her seat. "Before you open this, I just have to tell you that I had a really hard time thinking of a gift for you. I mean, what do you get a guy who has everything and all the money in the world?"

"Not all." He joked.

"So I hope you like this. I think you will. Maybe. I hope."

Nathan chuckled at her. _Gosh, she was adorable._

"Well, anyway...here you go." She said handing the package over to him.

Nathan ripped the wrapping paper apart as a DVD was revealed. _Nathan's Greatest Moments_ was written on the outside. He looke up at her confused, "What is this?"

"This is a collection of all of your basketball moments. From when you played in high school for the Ravens until taking ownership of the Bobcats. Peyton helped me. We found some clips and pictures online and ripped them to her computer, and we put a compilation of everything all together." She explained.

Nathan looked at her in amazement. This was seriously the most thoughtful gift he had ever received including Christmas presents. He watched as she took the DVD from his hands and went to the DVD player placing it in before walking back over to him. "Let's watch it." She said grabbing Sophie from the groung handing her over to Nathan as he set her in his lap while Haley saddled up into his side.

Nathan watched as clips and pictures from practically every important moment of his basketball career were displayed. The music and the effects provided so much more to the video as he watched images from the state championship, his Duke press conference, more memorable Duke moments including the year they won the NCAA Tournament, clips from the draft where he was announced as the Bobcat's new point guard, clips and images throughout his two years with Charlotte, some ownership momets, and finally the video ended with a couple of pictures of the three of them at the Bobcat's opening season game. "That was amazing, Hales."

"Really? You really liked it?" She couldn't help but ask not feeling too confident about the gift.

"Really." He confirmed. "That was the best gift I have ever received. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Happy birthday, Nathan." She said softly.

It was approaching nine o'clock at night three hours later. Nathan and Haley had just finished putting Sophie to bed after giving her a bath. Now the two of them were relaxing on the couch eating some strawberry cupcakes with whipped strawberry icing which Haley did some digging and found out were Nathan's favorite. "Those were pretty damn amazing, Hales." He complimented placing the empty paper next to the other three on the nightstand to his right.

"I'm glad you liked them." She said handing him her empty paper as he placed it along with his. She sunk down so she was laying on her back while resting her head in his lap. She felt Nathan running his fingers through her hair, and she closed her eyes in complete relaxation. "That feels so good." She mumbled. "But shouldn't I be giving you a massage or something considering it is your birthday?"

"Well, it's my birthday so I get to pick what we do, and we are fine right where we are doing this." He replied.

"I'm okay with that."

Nathan smiled as he watched her. Her eyes were still closed but a smiled etched across her face. He loved this whole day. He got to eat an amazing meal topped with an amazing dessert. He received the most amazing gift. And he got to share it with his _family_. He loved giving Sophie a bath as well as putting her to bed with Haley. It felt special. And this day was exactly how he wanted to spend his birthday.

"So I couldn't help but realize your jersey number has consistently been the number twenty-three and your birthday also happens to be on the twenty-third. Coincidence?" She asked.

"No coincidence. The number twenty-three has been my lucky number since I can remember. Along with those two examples, my cabin number at the first basketball camp I ever attended was twenty-three. My room number at High Flyers the summer before I left for Duke was number twenty-three. And I was twenty-three years old when I played my very first game in the NBA. It's always been a significant number for me."

"Wow. That's really interesting. You know what-I feel like I learn something new about you every day." She stated.

"Yeah, me, too, with you." He agreed. The two stayed in their current positions for the next five minutes just sitting in silence. A completely comfortable silence simply just enjoying being in each other's company. Nathan couldn't help but think about how far they've come, and they owe a lot of that to Sophie who has been a blessing to the both of them. He loved their little family they have created. Thinking about family had him wondering and wanting to know more about Haley's. "So what happened with your dad? All I really know is that he left." Nathan asked.

"That's basically it. I had just turned eight years old. I woke up one morning, and he was gone. His clothes and belongings were gone. All he left behind were signed divorce papers."

"Wow, that's harsh. I'm sorry." He apologized.

"It may sound strange, but I really wasn't surprised. He was rarely ever home before that, and when he was, he and my mom were usually fighting. My dad and I never had a close father/daughter relationship. And if I'm being completely honest, I don't even remember shedding a single tear nor feeling sad about his leaving. In a way, I was relieved. My mom deserved better than being stuck in a loveless marriage-at least on my dad's end-and with a man who treated her like dirt and who I'm pretty sure cheated on her consistently. We deserved better, and it was easier after he left. Not financially, of course considering my mom was a stay-at-home mom per my dad's request. We struggled financially. But emotionally, we were better off.

"Well, the way I see it, he's the one who lost something. He missed out on watching his daughter grow into an amazing woman." He stated.

Blushing, Haley glanced down sheepishly. The butterflies which seemed to flutter around in her stomach a lot lately were back as she began twirling the ring on her finger.

"What's with the ring?" He inquired gesturing towards the circular piece of jewelry. "I always see you wearing it."

"It was my mom's. She wore this thing more religiously than her wedding ring. She received it when she graduated from high school as a present from her parents. When she was sick-pretty much right before she died-she gave it to me. She said aside from me, it was her most prized possession, and she wanted me to have it. I've been wearing it ever since. It helps keep her close to me. That probably sounds weird." She stated.

"It doesn't sound weird at all." He assured honestly as they shared a soft smile.

"So I told you something personal about my parents…any chance you care to return the sentiment?" She questioned cautiously.

Just the mention of his parents had Nathan growing angrier.

"You don't have to." She quickly added noticing the tension that invaded his face, and the last thing she wanted to do was pressure him to talk or ruin this night.

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry, but I just get my defenses up when talking about them." He said taking a deep breath. "To sum Dan and Deb Scott up in two words…my dad bullies and my mom drinks." He stated vaguely as she looked at him sympathetically.

He had every intention of leaving it at that and would have, but the way she was looking at him snapped something inside of him. He found himself wanting to open up to her. He didn't know why considering he was such a closed book when it came to his family life. Maybe he wanted another confidant since Lucas used to be his one and only. Maybe he wanted her comfort, because the sincerity in her eyes was overwhelming-in a good way. Maybe he just finally needed to say things aloud and vent. He didn't know why, but he wasn't about to analyze it either.

"I don't even know how long my mom has been an alcoholic. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary until I was in high school, but it's not too surprising considering how often my mother was gone. She traveled all the time for her job. She worked with charities. She spent more time with those children than with me. Maybe it makes me sound really selfish since she was making a difference in the world and helping the less fortunate, but I needed her, too. She wasn't there to protect me against Dan, and I fell under his trap. For years, I blamed her, because in my opinion, she made me his property by not being there. And then, I finally began to notice her drinking. When she was home, I remember seeing her drinking a glass of wine probably ninety-five percent of the time. And I'm not exaggerating. I'd also hear Keith and Karen make their little comments to one another about her alcohol consumption when they didn't think anyone was around and listening. It soon became all too obvious that she was in fact an alcoholic. But she didn't see it. She swore she didn't have a problem, and how do you help someone who refuses to see and acknowledge it?" He questioned rhetorically.

"Your dad never tried to get her help?"

"That would have required my dad to actually notice someone other than himself." He quipped bitterly.

Haley stared at him concerned. Seeing him this upset and full of so much resentment caused an ache in her heart. All she wanted to do was wrap him protectively in her arms and shield him from the world. It may sound juvenile, but it was how she felt.

"My dad was this huge basketball prodigy. He was the Nathan Scott back in his day." He began managing to joke and send her a smug smile which she appreciated. "He got a full basketball scholarship to college and the NBA was his dream. Nothing and nobody was going to get in his way…as you probably know since Karen was pregnant with Lucas at the time, and even that didn't stop him. Anyway, he got an injury in college which ended his basketball career."

"Like you." She stated quietly.

"No, not like me. Here's the funny thing, he lied."

Haley looked at him confused urging him to continue.

"With physical therapy, he could have rehabilitated his knee and still play. He, along with my grandma, covered everything up. But the truth was that he was a coward and quit. For years-since I could hold a basketball in my hands-he bullied me. He pushed and pushed me almost to my breaking point. 'You have to be the best, Nathan.' 'We don't accept failures in this family.' 'You have my legacy to live up to and continue.' It was constant, and I hated him for it. But on the flipside, I have a lot of gratitude for it."

Haley once again furrowed her eyebrows indicating her confusion.

"I know it sounds weird, but the NBA was a dream I had. I didn't want to play basketball just for my dad. I wanted it for myself. And I know that if he hadn't pushed me then I wouldn't have had the opportunities I did. The way he went about it was wrong, but I'm still grateful for it." He explained.

"So why is your relationship the way it is now? I mean, has it just been a buildup of everything together or did something happen?" She questioned.

"A little bit of both, I suppose. As you know, I blew out my knee during my second year playing with the Bobcats which was a real injury. There was no way I could have come back from that and played the way I used to. Well, I was in the hospital recovering from surgery when my parents showed up."

_The door to the hospital room opened as Nathan noticed his parents walking into the room. Deb was immediately at his bedside, "Oh my gosh, Nathan! Thank God you're okay!"_

"_Yeah, I'm great, Mom. Forget about the fact that my basketball career is ruined, and I will never be able to play professional ball again. But yes, thank God I'm okay." He bit out sarcastically. He really didn't mean to be so harsh, but his emotions were all over the place. And he was still so angry at what had just happened to him so he was a little on edge._

"_So that's it. You're just giving up?" Dan spoke incredulously._

"_There's nothing I can do, Dad. My knee is completely shot. Even with therapy, I would never be able to play to the capacity as before. It's over."_

"_It's not over. You do not quit, do you hear me?" Dan bit out._

"_That's really rich coming from you considering what you did."_

"_Watch it, Nathan!" Dan warned with venom lacing his voice._

"_Why? At least what happened to me is real. But what happened to you was a façade. How does it feel, Dad?"_

"_This isn't about me." Dan began still furious. "This is about you, and your career is not over. I refuse to stand here and watch you throw your whole life away."_

"_There's nothing I can do! What do you expect form me?" Nathan shouted._

"_There is something you can do-you can get your ass to physical therapy and work to get it back. You're giving up, and I will not have that in my family. You will not disgrace my name or this family's name. You're weak and pathetic, you know that, Nathan. It's time for you to grow up." Dan snarled._

"_Who are you talking about right now? Me or you?" Nathan challenged bitterly._

"_Don't you dare speak to me like that!" Dan warned. "I was the one who got you to where you are, and I did not sacrifice everything to watch you throw it all away. I brought you into this world, and I can take you out of it!"_

"_Can we please not do this?" Deb pleaded quietly while looking towards the door._

"_What's wrong, Mom? Are you afraid that someone will discover our whole perfect family act? We wouldn't want that now, would we? There's a higher standard we must live by, and God knows nobody from the outside world can see the cracks." Nathan quipped._

"_I know you're hurting right now, but you do not get to speak to me like that. I am your mother, and I am here out of concern for you." Deb chastised._

"_Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?" He muttered under his breath._

"_Nathan! What is making you act like this? This is not how the son I raised behaves." She questioned admonished by his behavior._

"_Oh, go suck down another bottle of wine!" _

_Deb's mouth dropped open in complete shock at the words her son had just spoken to her._

_"That a boy, Nate. Nice to see you still have some fire left in you. But how about you channel that towards basketball considering your mother's a lost cause anyway." Dan stated._

"_You know what, Dan, you can just…"_

"_Stop it!" Nathan exclaimed cutting his mother off. "Get out. Both of you just get out! I don't want you here, and I'm not dealing with your shit any longer. I'm done! This is my life, and I'll decide what to do with it. So get the hell out!"_

Haley stared at Nathan and her heart broke. His parents were horrible, and she couldn't imagine what it was like to grow up with either of them. Slowly, she was beginning to understand him. "Nathan, I am so sorry." She said sympathetically.

"I'm used to it." He stated shrugging his shoulders as if it was no big deal. He was deep in his thoughts and didn't notice how she saddled up next to him. But he did notice when he felt her arms wrapping around him from the side as she rested her chin on his shoulder. A smile broke out on his face, "Hales, I'm really okay."

"I'm sure you are but just humor me."

Of course he would humor her. If it meant having her so close to him and being wrapped in her arms then he would do anything she wanted him to do.

"Your parents are assholes." She stated off-handedly.

"Your dad's a dick." He stated.

The two of them looked at one another and laughed. "Gosh, our families are so dysfunctional." He said through their laughter as Haley nodded in agreement. "At least you turned out pretty okay." He stated.

"You turned out pretty okay, too." She said. She could see the doubt that plagued his features. Bringing her hand to his cheek, she turned him so they were looking at one another. "You did." She affirmed forcefully.

Nathan stared into her eyes and allowed himself to believe her words. The seconds passed as they got lost in their exchange. The whole atmosphere shifted around them. Things weren't so funny anymore.

"Nathan." Haley mumbled quietly.

Hearing his name fall from her lips caused something inside of him to come undone as he found himself leaning forward. He watched her tongue snake between her lips licking their dryness.

Anticipation ran through Haley's body as they leaned closer and closer into one another. Just millimeters away, she closed her eyes feeling his hot breath right up against her face. Just as their lips brushed against one another-barely even a touch-Sophie's cries sounded.

Nathan snapped his eyes shut in frustration as he felt her lean her forehead against his. They waited in silence, foreheads still touching, to see if Sophie would stop crying and fall back asleep. Seconds turned into minutes, and Haley pulled away as they stared into each other's eyes, "I should..."

Nathan nodded in agreement never muttering a word as she pulled back completely detaching herself from him standing up and walking away from him disappearing into Sophie's bedroom. Nathan flung himself back against the couch closing his eyes. He couldn't believe what had just almost happened between them. Sophie had like the worst timing...or maybe the best. He wasn't sure which one. His body was leaning towards worst while his head was leaning towards best. If they wouldn't have been interrupted things could have-and may still-turned really complicated between them. But God did he want her.

Haley smiled as she saw Sophie standing up in her crib crying and holding her arms out to her. "Hey, sweetie." She whispered picking her up and carrying her just a few feet over to the rocking chair, "what's wrong, huh?" Resting the sniffling girl against her chest, she gently rocked them back and forth. "You probably just did Nathan and me a huge favor. I think we were about to make a mistake." Haley began while rubbing her left hand up and down Sophie's back soothingly. "I don't know if we should go down that road. Actually," she paused letting out a low chuckle, "I keep saying we but really I just mean me. I can't go down that road. This is the type of person Nathan is, and I can't get mixed up in that. I'm just feeling lonely. That's all that was. Nathan and I are friends now. That's all."

* * *

><p><em>Haley moaned as her back collided against the tile of the shower as the hot water pelted their bodies. His lips covered hers in an intense, passionate kiss, and she felt herself melting into him. His hands traced her skin traveling up her legs before stopping at her hips gripping them tighter-so tightly she knew she would for sure have some bruises the next morning. But instead of pain, she felt a rush of adrenaline. His roughness turned her on only intensifying her need and want for him.<em>

_Closing her eyes, she threw her head back as his hand palmed her breast feeling her nipples harden at his touch. She moaned in pleasure as he pinched her hypersensitive nub in between his fingers. His mouth sucked at her chest harshly before licking a pathway up her neck where he began nipping her skin. Her own hands began to wander down his perfectly defined body as she grazed over his chiseled abs. He really did have the most amazing body she had ever seen. He was like the perfect male specimen. "Please!" She pleaded as her need for him was growing out of control, and she knew he knew instantly what she wanted from him._

_She felt his hands latch onto her thighs lifting her from the ground as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. A tingling sensation travelled through her body-more specifically her lower region at what she knew was about to come. He was so close. She could feel it-him right where she wanted him to be. She felt the tip of him slowly enter her before stalling. She opened her eyes immediately getting lost in his ocean blue ones staring at her. The look he was giving her was almost enough to make her come undone. She knew it was only seconds until he was finally in her completely. In the only way that would satisfy them both at this point. And suddenly without any warning, she felt him push completely into her roughly. "Nathan!"_

"And now he's wrapped around her finger-she's the center of his whole world. And his heart belongs to that sweet little beautiful, wonderful, perfect all-American girl"

Haley shot up in the bed as she heard her phone's ringtone. She sat there for a couple seconds letting her body calm down. She could feel the sweat on her forehead as well as the tingling sensation in between her legs while trying to catch her breath. Reaching over to the nightstand where her phone was sitting, she answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey." He greeted huskily.

"Nathan! Hi!" She exclaimed surprised even though she should have known it was him since she picked out that specific ringtone just for him. A blush formed on her face, and she could feel the heat rising in her body once again at the sound of his voice which was…God, it was so sexy.

"Are you okay?" He asked catching the frantic tone of her voice.

"Of course." She responded immediately which was a complete lie.

"Did I wake you? You sound a little…off."

"Yeah, you did, but I needed to wake up anyway." She stated. Well, it was the partial truth. Her body and the throbbing between her legs were mentally cursing him, but her head which was still trying to grasp the fact that she was having a sex dream about him was thanking him for his impeccable timing.

"Did I interrupt a good dream?"

"What?" She exclaimed. "No. Of course, not! Why would you ask me that?" She rattled off as her face turned a darker shade of red.

Nathan quirked his eyebrows as he listened to her. _What was up with her? She's acting really strange today._ "Hales, are you sure you're okay?"

Haley mentally scolded herself for acting like such a spas. _Get a grip, Haley._ "Yeah, sorry. I'm fine. Where are you guys?" She asked. Oddly enough, she just realized that both Nathan and Sophie weren't in the hotel room and that she was talking to him over the phone. On top of that, she was hoping to change the subject to something else-anything else which would hopefully stop her mind from thinking about that dream.

"Sophie and I are at the café eating lunch with Jake and Jenny. I figured you could sleep in, and I was already up. Jake called to see if we wanted to get together before the wedding. You're welcome to come and join us if you want." He offered.

Haley glanced at the clock and saw it was a quarter past twelve. "I better not. The wedding starts at two so I should probably get in the shower and get ready."

"Okay. Well, we should be back in an hour-just enough time to change. And then, we'll be ready to go."

"Sounds like a plan." She stated before they said their goodbyes and hung up. Haley tossed her phone onto the bed to her right as she fell backwards against the headboard. Closing her eyes, she was instantly flooded with flashbacks of her dream she had just minutes prior. She let out a groan when she could feel her body begin to react once again. "Cold shower it is." She said aloud flinging her body before climbing out of the bed.

True to his word, Nathan came walking into their hotel room at a quarter after one with Sophie in tow. "Hales, we're back!" He hollered setting Sophie on the ground. He heard Haley yell that she was almost done so he wandered over to the bed taking a seat. He smiled when he noticed his black trouser pants along with his baby blue button-down dress shirt and silver tie hanging on a hanger on one of the hooks in the wall behind the couch ironed and all ready to go. Haley had picked out his outfit for him while telling him that the blue would make his eyes pop. He remembered laughing as she told him that.

He noticed Sophie dragging her doll to the center of the room just a few feet away from him plopping down on the carpet. He continued to watch her until he heard the bathroom door unlatch as Haley stepped out fully dressed wearing a brown colored dress with a thick vertical patch of cream running through the length of it as well as a thinner horizontal line running along the width of the dress under her breasts. The edge of her breasts also had a line of of cream which extended through all of the straps which went around her neck in a halter style. She had on a small pearl necklace along with a single pair of pearl earrings and a single pearl bracelet on her left wrist. Her long brown hair was curled with half of it swept up in a clip and her makeup done with neutral colors. He loved the simplicity of it. She looked amazing. Of course, she looked amazing with more, but she definitely didn't need more. She was such a natural beauty which was hard to come by these days. All of the women he came into contact with were loaded down with tons of makeup, and they looked good. But Haley was beautiful all the time especially at her most natural look.

"So…how do I look?" Haley asked doing a quick twirl.

"You look beautiful."

Haley smiled at the breathless way he said that while his voice was laced with such thick emotion. It actually mirrored his voice from when she first answered the phone, and she once again felt her body temperature start to spike. "Thank you."

Nathan smiled while nodding softly at her as his eyes swept over her appearance for a second time.

"Well, you better get ready. I'll get Sophie dressed." She said grabbing the dress they had purchased for Sophie which was all laid out on the surface of Haley's bed while Nathan quickly grabbed his clothes before disappearing into the bathroom.

Two hours later, they were sitting at the table with Jake, Peyton, Skills, and Bevin at The RiverRoom reception hall. The ceremony was beautiful and simple-just the way Mouth and Millie wanted it to be. Millie was glowing, and she looked absolutely radiant. And Mouth looked just as happy as they had ever seen him to be. They were a beautiful, perfect couple.

Haley brought her wine glass to her mouth as she took a sip of the bubbly champagne.

"Must you torture me like that?" Peyton chided in the seat in across from her.

"Hey, you're the one who decided to go and get yourself knocked up." Haley countered teasingly placing the glass back down on the table surface.

"I know, and I love it…but I could really use some type of alcohol right now. It sounds so good." The blonde stated taking a sip of her water. "Yum…water."

Haley couldn't help but laugh at her friend's sarcasm. "You look beautiful, though. You totally have that pregnancy glow going on." She said hoping to brighten Peyton's spirit. Haley was so happy for both Jake and Peyton. They had been trying for a couple years now to have a baby, but it's been a difficult process for them. She remembered having a conversation with Brooke when she was pregnant where Brooke admitted to feeling guilty and nervous about telling Peyton about her pregnancy. Especially since Lucas and Brooke weren't trying or even quite ready to have a baby yet.

It was a couple months ago when Haley found out about the pregnancy. She and Nathan were visiting Tree Hill for a couple days, and Peyton had called her up asking to meet for lunch. She remembered noticing something different about her friend-he whole aura seemed to be generating something different-good but different. It was then that Peyton revealed she was pregnant. The last time she saw Peyton that happy was on her wedding day with Jake.

"Yeah, yeah." Peyton mumbled rolling her eyes good-naturedly. "Thanks for that, though." She added winking at Haley as the two girls chuckled. "Well, let's go get some more food. That's something that I can still enjoy, and I'm starving."

Haley stood up from the chair and followed Peyton up to the table where all of the food was sitting. Haley was engrossed in what to get when a voice startled her. She turned to her left where she was surprised to see Julian standing there. "Julian! Oh my gosh, hi." She greeted enthusiastically as she leaned forward and the two embraced in a hug. "What are you doing here?" She asked taking a step back.

"Actually, Millie's my second cousin." He answered.

"Wow. Talk about a small world." She said as he nodded before the two started laughing at the coincidence. "So how have you been?"

"Good-busy, but I've been good. You?"

"I've been good, too." She answered.

"How is it living in Charlotte?"

"Surprisingly really nice. I've been hanging out with someone Nathan works with, and she's great. We have quickly developed a friendship which makes being away from everyone a little easier. Of course, I still miss everyone like crazy. That is something that will never change, but it's been worth it. I guess if that's the right way to describe it." She said smiling.

"Well, we definitely miss you at the hospital. I hear all of the nurses talking up a storm about you and how much they miss seeing you all the time. I have to say that I agree with them." He said.

Haley blushed at his admission. "Well, I miss them, too. And I miss you as well."

Nathan was busy talking to Jake and Skills about how the Ravens were doing this season who Skills was still coaching which turned into a discussion of when they won the state championship their senior year causing them to gloat proudly. He turned his attention towards where Haley and Peyton were and laughed as he watched Haley practically drooling over all of the food while deciding what to get. He didn't understand how a girl who ate as much as she did stayed so thin especially since he's never actually seen her exercise either.

It was then that he noticed some guy approaching her-no not just some guy. _Julian. _What was Julian doing here? He watched as the two hugged, and he felt something drop in the pit of his stomach. He stared at them as they broke apart and carried on with a conversation. He didn't like this one bit. And he definitely didn't like the look on Haley's face as she talked to Julian.

* * *

><p>"Well, Sophie definitely has a sweet tooth on her." Haley chuckled as she was sharing a piece of red velvet cake with the little girl who was currently plopped in her lap. Haley turned towards Nathan who only nodded meekly at her.<p>

Haley sighed softly. She didn't know what was up with him. Ever since she returned to the table with her food earlier, he'd been kind of giving her the cold shoulder. She didn't understand at all why he was acting so distantly with her. She didn't think she did anything. How could she have? What changed in an hour long time span?

She watched as he brought his beer up to his lips and took a gulp. He wouldn't even look at her. And instead of being angry like she would have in the past, she was hurt. _Why was he treating her like this?_ She could feel the tears pricking at her eyes, and she tried to keep them at bay. She would not cry over and in front of him. If he wanted to act like a jerk, then so be it.

Jake and Peyton observed their two friends sitting in front of them who have been acting weird for the past hour. Well, to be more exact, Nathan was acting kind of like a jerk towards Haley. He had been pretty much ignoring her since she and Peyton sat back down. Peyton turned towards her husband raising an eyebrow as he just shook his head indicating his own confusion and focused back down at the food in front of him.

Haley surveyed the dance floor and smiled as she watched Mouth and Millie dancing with one another. She saw the look of pure love and happiness in their eyes, and she felt so much joy for them both. She also couldn't help but think back to the last wedding she attended which was Lucas and Brook's. She felt her heart constrict slightly at the memories, and she found herself growing sad. They should be here celebrating this day with them and everyone else. Brooke was supposed to be a bridesmaid, and Lucas was supposed to be a groomsmen. It wasn't fair. Haley felt herself on the cusp of breaking down and quickly shut her eyes to get a hold of herself.

"Haley, are you okay?" Peyton asked with concern as she watched her friend.

Opening her eyes, she nodded weakly. "Yeah, I'm just…I'm just thinking about things." She answered before casting her eyes over towards Nathan who was actually looking at her. For a brief moment, their eyes locked, and she knew he knew what was running through her mind. He smiled softly at her. She could see the hesitance in his smile which hurt, but she still deeply appreciated it. The fact that they were so in sync in this moment and that he understood what she was feeling was exactly what she needed. It calmed her, and she was able to push all of her prior negative thoughts to the back of her mind.

However, she watched as Nathan's smile quickly faded before thrusting his head away from her taking another gulp of his beer. _Seriously, what was his problem?_ Now she was growing angry. It was then that she felt another presence next to her, and she looked up and saw Julian standing to her right. "Hey." She greeted warmly.

"Hey." He returned.

Haley turned towards Nathan, "Nathan, you remember Julian, right?" She asked. She knew he did, but she was hoping for anything that might get him talking.

Nathan turned to look at Julian, "How could I forget?" He asked sarcastically before looking away once again.

Haley narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't mind him," She began speaking to Julian. "He's being an asshole today for some reason." She finished, her tone laced with venom.

"It's quite all right." Julian reassured letting out a strangled laugh.

"Would you like to sit down?" She offered gesturing towards the chair next to her.

"Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to dance." He asked extending his left hand out towards her.

_At least someone wanted to talk to her and spend time with her._ She couldn't help but think. Haley smiled boisterously at him, "I'd love to." She responded before turning towards Nathan who was staring at them-well, more like glaring at them. "Do you mind taking Sophie?" She asked showing no emotion in her voice.

"Not at all." He bit out practically ripping the little girl from her arms.

Haley sent him a sarcastic smile as she placed her hand in Julian's as he led them out to the dance floor. She felt him wrap his arms around her waist, and she had to admit it felt weird. Not bad in any way but just weird. Shaking away those feelings, she wrapped her left arm around his neck as he held her right hand enclosed in his left as they began to sway to the song which was currently playing.

Nathan sat there as he stared at them. His eyes travelled down to where Julian's hands were resting comfortably around Haley's waist a little too closely to a certain asset of hers. She didn't seem to mind, though, as she smiled affectionately at Julian. He watched as the two of them carried on a conversation while they danced. A conversation which was apparently humorous considering she kept laughing at whatever lame thing he was spewing.

He was never so happy at hearing a song end as he was now. He even managed to smile…at least until another slow song started playing, and the two continued dancing. _A second dance?_ He felt his anger intensify, and he needed a drink, and he needed one now. "Peyton, would you mind taking Sophie?" He asked turning to the blonde.

"Of course not!" Peyton exclaimed. "Come here, sweetie." She said as Nathan handed the little girl over to her.

After Sophie was securely in Peyton's arms, Nathan pushed himself out of his chair heading straight towards the bar. "Can I have a whiskey?"

"Sure. Any specific kind?"

"I don't care. Anything that's strong enough." Nathan replied. Once the drink was placed in front of him, he sucked it back in one gulp while slamming the glass down on the counter. "Just keep them coming for right now." He demanded as his eyes once again zoned in on Julian and Haley dancing. His emotions felt out of control as he downed his second glass of whiskey. He could very clearly remember the last time he felt like this.

_Nathan tugged at the tie around his neck as he sipped the punch he was holding in his hands. It was really disgusting-at least before he threw in a little vodka into his own cup. Adding that made the drink at least mildly decent not to mention the alcohol was making this night more bearable. He really hated prom. His tux made him look ridiculous. The DJ sucked playing crappy boy band songs, and he also seemed to be in a competition for 'who can play the most slow songs at one dance'. Nathan could overlook that considering he wasn't the dancing type anyway, but his overly annoying date wanted to dance to practically every single one._

_He turned his attention towards the dance floor where he saw Jake and Peyton dancing closely together with Lucas and Brooke right beside them. The two couples actually seemed to be engrossed in a conversation as they danced side by side. His eyes moved a little to the left, and that's when he saw them. Trevor and Haley. He couldn't believe Haley had accepted Trevor's invitation. And what made things worse was that they had all come as a group so he was forced to watch and listen to them the entire night. Prom couldn't end fast enough. At least in a couple hours, he'd be drinking his way towards a good buzz to block out the rest of the day._

_Just then, Lana saddled into his side, and he let out an inaudible groan. She was way too clingy and touchy tonight. He never should have asked her, but she was available. And before he asked, she was normal. Now he was definitely catching some stalking vibes from her. She was hot-blonde hair, big chest, perfect body. He figured she could definitely help in ending the night in a completely satisfying way, but he didn't think he'd risk awakening an even clingier side to her just for a good lay. No, she wasn't worth that._

_He knew she wanted to dance, but he wasn't going to offer. He firmly told her he was done for the night. Five slow dances was his limit, and he was surprised he was even able to fully commit to that. He knew what would happen if he took her back out to that dance floor. She would press her body into his to the point where he practically couldn't breathe just like she had done the previous five times. And she would probably plant more kisses along his neck. During their last dance, she grew bold and began peppering his neck with wet kisses while whispering in what he figured she thought was a sexy, seductive voice that she couldn't wait for the after prom obviously alluding to them having sex. Nathan wanted to laugh at her. Like that was going to be happening._

_Nathan ignored her as she looped her arms through his. He was too tired to shake her off of him. He decided to go ahead and let her think something more was going to happen tonight. Where was the harm in that? If it kept her from going bat-crazy on him right now then that's all that mattered. His eyes once again found where Trevor and Haley were dancing. He narrowed them when he noticed Trevor's hands clasped together practically resting on her ass. Okay, maybe not on it, but close enough. And they were dancing so closely together. It was enough to make him sick._

_His anger intensified as he watched Trevor's left arm reach up to Haley's face as he brushed a fallen strand of hair away. He could see the blush on her face all the way from over here. He slammed his now empty cup onto the counter behind him before grabbing Lana's hand, "We're dancing." He bit out dragging her to the dance floor just a couple feet away from Trevor and Haley._

_His eyes caught Haley's as she turned noticing how close they were. He made sure to pull Lana as close into him as he possibly. He wanted to roll his eyes at how thrilled Lana seemed to be at his actions, but he had to keep up with all pretenses. He allowed his hand to graze lower as he rested it half on her waist and half on her ass. He glanced over and noticed Haley still staring at them. He smirked before leaning back so he could look at Lana and swooped down capturing her in a kiss not wasting any time shoving his tongue into her mouth instantly meeting hers. The one regret he had-of course other than kissing Lana in the first place-was that he didn't get the chance to see Haley's reaction as he practically devoured his date. When he finally detached his lips from Lana's he looked up and noticed Haley's back towards him. He couldn't help but smile smugly even if she wasn't looking at him._

"_Wow! Tonight is going to be so much fun." Lana gushed._

_Nathan almost gagged but managed to send a smile her way. The song ended, and he was incredibly grateful for that. He watched as Trevor led Haley off of the dance floor and back to their table._

_Four hours later, Nathan gulped back his shot followed by chasing it with a beer as the group of guys surrounding him cheered him on. Now this was more than making up for the suck fest earlier. Even better-he managed to have somehow lost Lana. Now he was just praying she stayed that way. Telling the guys he'd be back, he headed up the stairs and into his room. He was surprised when he saw Haley sitting on his bed with her legs dangling off the sides. A smirk formed on his face taking in the sight of her. She had changed into a black tank top and some black and pink plaid pajama shorts. "Well, well…if I had known you were up here waiting for me then I would have come sooner."_

"_Don't flatter yourself. I wasn't waiting for you. I just…I needed to get away, and all of the other rooms were occupied." She stated awkwardly._

"_And how did you get in here? I always keep this door locked during parties."_

"_I asked Brooke to make Lucas spill the beans as to where your spare key was hidden. I have to hand it to you-I would have never thought to look in the back of the toilet." She said._

"_That was the idea." He stated walking further into his room shutting the door behind him. He opened up the top drawer of his dresser pulling out a bottle of his favorite vodka. He twisted the cap off placing it on the surface of his dresser and took a sip straight from the bottle as he glanced in the mirror and smirked at Haley's reflection. He turned and leaned against the piece of furniture, "So where's your date?" He asked, the venom lacing his voice._

"_Oh, umm…yeah, he and I had very different ideas of how this night was going to end so he left." She said while picking at his comforter. "What about you? Where's your date? I wouldn't want to miss another show of you practically sucking the life out of her."_

_Nathan couldn't help but smile at that. Setting the bottle down on the dresser, he inched his way closer to her until he was standing directly in front of her. He even managed to pry her legs open with his own so that he was standing in between them. He was making her nervous-he could tell,and he liked that. He liked having that type of control over her. He leaned forward until she was leaning back with her elbows against the mattress holding her up as he placed his arms at both sides of her shoulders. Their chests were practically touching, and he listened to her breathing hitch slightly. "What are you doing?" He heard her ask nervously. He smiled softly at her-sincerely at her, and he knew he had caught her off-guard. Hell, he had even caught himself off-guard. Not answering her with words, he leaned closer until he was hovering against her neck. Not thinking about anything further, he softly began nipping at her neck. His lips were barely touching her skin, and he was actually surprised she hadn't pushed him away or even decked him yet. She actually felt as if she was frozen underneath him. It was then that he opened his mouth letting his tongue run along her skin as he sucked on her neck sensually wanting to get a reaction out of her._

"_Nathan, stop." She pleaded quietly finally snapping back to reality._

_Nathan obeyed as he moved back so he was staring into her eyes. Their faces were so close. "Have I told you how hot you looked tonight?" He asked slurring his words. And she did. Her dress was a strapless black dress with a shimmering layer of fabric which flowed down to the ground. Her blonde hair was swept back in an up do with a diamond clip connected at her left side._

_Haley smelled the alcohol on his breath, "God, you're drunk." She scoffed._

"_Maybe a little." He admitted._

"_Get off of me, Nathan." She demanded bringing her hands to his chest and shoving him away from her. _

_He stumbled back and laughed. He saw the annoyance and anger etched across her face. "I didn't hear you complaining just a few seconds ago." He said smugly._

"_Sleep it off, Nathan." She said offering no argument for his words as she pushed herself off of his bed and out of his room. He didn't stop her; he just watched her walk away. Falling back to his bed, he let out a sigh. He cursed his body for betraying him as he laid there completely hard as a rock. Closing his eyes, he tried to think about anything that would help calm his body down._

On the dance floor, Julian and Haley were greatly enjoying one another's company. They were actually just gabbing away about the hospital and some of Julian's patients whose names, of course, remained confidential due to HIPPA laws. He told her stories which made her really miss working there and just as a nurse in general.

Julian turned and noticed Nathan glaring at them-more like him. "Haley, are you and Nathan…are you guys…" He stammered trying to think of the best way to ask this because he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Are me and Nathan what?" Haley prodded.

"Are you guys together…like romantically?"

"What?" She asked completely caught off guard. "No. Why would you even think that?"

"Maybe because of the 'I'm going to kill you' glare I'm currently receiving from him." He answered casting his eyes to his left.

Haley followed his line of sight where she noticed Nathan standing at the bar sucking back a glass of some kind of alcoholic, and he was indeed glaring at Julian. She rolled her eyes before turning back towards Julian. "Just ignore him. I don't know what his problem is today. God, he can be such a dick sometimes. It's a good day. We are at a wedding celebrating two people, who are close friends of ours, making a commitment to each other, and he has nothing better to do than sulk and act like a complete douche. He's so infuriating. And he's so hot and cold."

Julian listened as Haley rambled off about Nathan. "Are you sure there's nothing going on?" He interrupted.

"No, of course not. Why do you keep asking me that?" She asked flustered.

"I don't know. You just seem to be really upset by his behavior."

"There's nothing…it's just…things are complicated between me and Nathan. It always has been. I mean, we go from hating each other to being friends if that's what you could even call us to me…" Haley stopped herself as she realized she was about to admit her dream from this morning. She took a second to compose herself, "There's nothing going on between us. He's just in a mood today, and I'm quite content with just ignoring him if he's going to act like this. So can we please not talk about this anymore?"

Not completely satisfied with her answer, Julian nodded in agreement any way. If she wanted to drop the subject then he would. He felt there was definitely something more to her words, but who was he to prod? If there was anything going on between Nathan and Haley it wasn't really any of his business. It's not like he was dating her. He could admit that he still had feelings for her-real, genuine feelings for her, but she didn't want to pursue a long-distance relationship. He understood that completely and accepted it. They agreed to remain friends, but that didn't stop him from still wanting more.

Thirty minutes later, their dance had ended as Julian went back to his family as Haley walked back to her table. Nathan was sitting there, and yes, he was still acting like a complete jerk. Even though she wished she didn't considering how he was acting, she grew mildly concerned as he sucked back a glass of something much harder and stronger than his usual beer.

"All right, it's time for the bouquet toss. So can I please get all of the single ladies out here to the dance floor?" The DJ announced.

Haley had every intention of sitting this one out. She just wasn't feeling in the mood anymore. "Come on, Hales!" Rachel announced.

"No, that's okay. Go without me." Haley declined.

"Nonsense! Haley James, you and I are arguably the hottest non-married girls here, and one of us is catching that bouquet. So up! Chop, chop!" Rachel ordered tugging lightly on Haley's arm.

Haley smiled and gave in as she allowed Rachel to lead her to the dance floor. A herd of girls invaded the area. Her somber mood was quickly replaced by excitement once again. She felt grateful towards Rachel for making her do this. She wanted to enjoy this night. She was with her friends and her family celebrating a marriage. She refused to let Nathan ruin it for her.

And as 'luck' would have it, it was Haley who had caught the bouquet making all of the other girls jealous with envy. She and Millie met in a big, warm embrace. "I'm so glad it was you." She stated as the two girls shared a soft smile.

Walking back over to the table, she sat down in her seat once again.

"Congrats, Hales!" Peyton exclaimed. "I guess we know what this means." She added casting a sly grin her friend's way.

"Yeah, because that's happening sometime soon." Haley countered teasingly.

"You never know." Peyton stated as Haley rolled her eyes playfully.

"Yeah, Hales, you never know." Nathan spoke up capturing everyone's attention at the table.

Haley looked at him sharply. She wanted him to talk to her, but the tone of his voice was anything but friendly.

"Maybe you will be the next to get married. I'm sure doctor boy would be only too happy to oblige with that one. So go ahead, Hales, go make your move. You know you want to. He's like the perfect guy, right? I'm sure he could create the perfect night for you-complete with flowers and candles. You know, all of the totally cliché things you only see in movies. That's what you like, isn't it?" He said menacingly.

Haley had never felt so hurt and betrayed in her life at the way he was mocking the night she lost her virginity. She trusted him and told him that in confidence. She had never told anyone other than Brooke about that night, and she opened up to him. And now he was using it against her. _This_ was the Nathan she knew and was used to. "Excuse me." She said as the tears she's been fighting so desperately to keep in had started falling. She stood from the table grabbing her purse before walking over to Keith and Karen who were holding Sophie while chatting with another couple seated at the same table.

"What is your problem tonight, Nathan?" Peyton bit out.

Nathan sighed placing his empty glass down on the table surface. Ignoring Peyton, he rested his forehead against the table letting out a groan. He suddenly wasn't feeling so well. He was so over this night.

**Okay, so how many of you hate me? LOL! Please let me know what you guys think. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter for you guys on Monday. I am really aiming for it, and I promise that I will try really hard not to make you guys wait any longer.**

**Small little fact…The RiverRoom reception hall is really in Wilmington, North Carolina. ;)**

**On a side note (again, nothing to do with this story or OTH)…grumpie2003, I completely agree with you about Lexie. I cannot believe she died! I was in tears when I watched that, and I was surprised she died so early on in the episode. Honestly, I really thought it was going to be Arizona. And as much as I HATE that Lexie (really anyone) died, Arizona is one of my all-time favorite characters after Cristina and Meredith so I'm relieved it wasn't her (at least not yet-who knows?). But that scene between Lexie and Mark was so heartbreaking, and when Meredith was sobbing by her body-I pretty much lost it. And honestly, how many more people can Meredith lose? Her mom, kind of her dad without the actual dying aspect, George, Izzie left, and now her sister-the girl's going to end up in a mental institution.**

**I am so ready for the next season to start. I cannot believe they left off there! I want to know what happens to all of them. I was watching the clock, and I kept thinking…"maybe it's a two-hour finale" even though I knew it wasn't. LOL! I don't know how I'm going to get through the next months until the new season starts again.**

**So anyway, I hope to have another chapter for you guys soon. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Back with another update! I know I know…I'm a jerk! The only excuse is that I have been so exhausted lately and have been sleeping like crazy. I'm sorry, though. And I apologize because there isn't a whole lot of Naley (or Sophie) in this chapter, but the next one will make up for that.**

**As always, thank you for all of the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to Julz, Steffsche (also for chapter 19), Me, Naleyluv, anom, Othfan48, Sophiaaaaa (also for chapters 18 & 19), grumpie2003 (I hope that's true about nobody but Lexie and Teddy), naleyalways4eva, courtneylovejason, rosepetal16, JamesLover23, thekellay, and jsjazz13 for taking the time to review. Your words truly put a smile on my face.**

**Not much to say so let's just get to reading. :)**

"Hey, foxy." Peyton greeted plopping down on the bed next to the brunette who was fiddling with her hair. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine." Haley mumbled unconvincingly.

"Well, Sophie is in the kitchen with Jake and Jenny eating breakfast so we have some much needed girl time ahead of us. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Haley once again mumbled.

"Fair enough. Do you want to watch a movie?" Peyton asked as Haley shook her head. "Okay, then. Do you want to get some breakfast?" Once again, Haley only shook her head. "Yeah, you've got the right idea, because simply laying here pouting about everything is so much more fun and entertaining." She teased which actually caused a small smile to appear on her lips. "Jake said he and Owen got Nathan back to the hotel okay. They said he passed out in the car and they had to basically carry him up to the room. I just wanted to reassure you that he got home safely since I know you are worried about him regardless of the situation."

Haley let out a sardonic laugh, "Gosh, I'm such a push-over, aren't I?"

"No. You just care about him."

"And that has just been working out so well for me." Haley said dramatically. "Gosh, why is he such a jerk?"

"Because he's Nathan. When isn't he a jerk?" Peyton asked rhetorically.

"True."

"I think Nathan felt threatened." Peyton began cautiously.

"About what?" Haley questioned confused.

Peyton took a deep breath before proceeding, "Maybe of Julian."

"Why would Nathan feel threatened of Julian?" Haley asked looking at her friend who only raised her eyebrows pointedly at her. "Please. If you're implying that Nathan was jealous then you're clearly mistaken."

"Am I?"

"Yes. Hello! Do you not realize who you're talking about? You're talking about Nathan Scott-the guy who can pretty much get any girl in the world. He doesn't want me. And it's not like that between us. I admit there may be some sexual tension, and we may have almost kissed one another but…"

"What? And when was this?" Peyton interrupted.

"Not too long ago. But really, it was nothing. It was in the heat of the moment. And I was there, and Nathan's not able to just go out and hook up with anyone like he used to so it was only natural that he'd try to act on anything."

"And what about you? What is your excuse for almost kissing him?" The blond challenged.

"I was also in the heat of the moment. It has been awhile for me as well so I guess it was natural for me, too."

Peyton couldn't help but roll her eyes at her friend. For such a bright girl, Haley could be so naïve at times. She realized that this debate about whether or not Nathan was jealous probably wasn't going to get them anywhere so she decided on a different approach. "Okay, maybe he wasn't jealous of Julian because of you per say, but maybe more about the possibility of this guy just waltzing in and disrupting his new life…with you and Sophie. Maybe he's worried about you getting serious with this guy and taking Sophie away from him."

"We already talked about those kinds of circumstances. Kind of. And he doesn't have anything to worry about in terms of Julian and me and Sophie. We are just friends. Before, I thought there could have been something between us, and I do care about him, but it's different now. I've moved on from whatever feelings I once had for him. I still enjoy his company and like conversing with him, but there's nothing romantically there anymore. Nathan's attitude had nothing to do with Julian." Haley responded.

"Okay." Peyton simply stated not wanting to push the conversation too far and upset her friend. Haley would just have to figure things out on her own. She just hopes Nathan figures things out for himself and takes the next step sooner rather than later. Things between Nathan and Haley were very clearly shifting which could be a really bad thing or a really good thing depending on how the two decided to act on things.

* * *

><p>Nathan groaned as he turned over in the bed. His eyes squinted open, and he was instantly met with the sunlight beaming through the window. He snapped his eyes shut as he rolled back over digging his face into the pillow. It literally felt like someone was hitting him in the head over and over with a sledge hammer. After laying there for a few quiet moments, he finally forced his eyes open as he gently pushed himself up and out of the bed. That was when he noticed how quiet and deserted the hotel room was. Checking the bathroom, he realized that both Haley and Sophie weren't there. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed Haley's number.<p>

"You've reached Haley James…"

Nathan didn't bother to listen to the rest of the voicemail as he abruptly ended his call in frustration. The night prior all came flooding back to him. His hangover was bad before but now with remembering the way he acted and the things he said, it had increased greatly. He grabbed a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt, and his charcoal grey fleece sweatshirt before heading into the bathroom to take a shower. He could smell the alcohol remnants on his clothes as well as seeping through the pores of his body, and it was enough to make him want to throw up even more.

Fifteen minutes later, Nathan was opening the door to Karen's Café and walking straight towards the counter where he saw the older brunette standing. "Hey, Karen." He greeted as he took a seat on one of the stools closest across from her.

"Nathan." Karen stated.

Nathan looked at her confused with the tone she was using. Her tone wasn't mean or anything like that, but it was a little stern and not as "welcoming" as he was accustomed to with her. Then, he realized she probably heard about or witnessed his behavior at the wedding. He suddenly felt like he was sitting in front of his mother waiting for her to start chastising him before giving him some form of punishment.

"Do you need some coffee?" She asked.

"If you don't mind that would be great." He answered cautiously. He watched as she nodded at him kind of tersely before retrieving the coffee pot and placing a mug in front of him pouring in some of the steaming hot coffee.

"How about something to eat? The special today is a turkey sandwich, and I have to say it's really good while nursing a…headache." She said.

Nathan noticed a tiny hint of a smirk on her lips, "Sure." He answered. Again, he watched as she wrote out his order on her menu pad before disappearing to the back for just a couple seconds. He remained silent as she walked towards him and stopping once she was in front of him. He took a second to survey the café, and he realized it was pretty deserted with only three tables actually occupied with just a couple of people sitting at each one. He turned and noticed Karen still staring at him almost like she was waiting for him to say something. "Have you by chance seen Haley today?" He questioned timidly.

"I have." She answered vaguely.

"Do you know where she is?"

"Yup."

Nathan knew she was purposely answering his questions so vaguely, and he had an inner battle within himself as to whether he should try to pursue anything further. Just then, he heard the door chime, and he instinctively turned around. That was when he noticed Peyton walking in with Sophie. And he definitely noticed the glare she was sending his way as she proceeded in his direction. He ignored her as he focused on Sophie. At least she seemed more than pleased to see him as she extended her arms towards him. He smiled boisterously at her as he took her in his arms. "Hey, Soph. I missed you." He said kissing the girl on her cheek soundly.

Nathan looked back up and noticed both Karen and Peyton staring at him-Peyton still sporting her glare while Karen was still sporting her stern look but a hint of softness which he assumed was due to Sophie's presence. "So…how's it going?"

"Seriously?" Peyton questioned with a raised eyebrow. "You're trying to make small talk."

"I guess." He replied lamely. "It beats sitting here in awkward silence receiving death glares from you." He added.

"Well, it's not like you don't deserve it." She countered.

Nathan ignored her comment. It may have been true-okay, definitely true, but he was in no mood to give Peyton the satisfaction. He turned back to Karen, "Do you think you could tell me where Haley is?"

"Why? She doesn't need to see you right now." Peyton jumped in.

"Peyton…" Karen chided good-naturedly before looking at Nathan, "Maybe you should just let her cool off and wait for her to come back to the hotel."

"But that could be hours." He complained.

"Well, Nathan, I'm sorry but you'll just have to deal with that." She said smiling softly at him as she pushed herself away from the counter and walked away to the back.

He sighed defeated as he watched her retreating form. He heard Peyton let out a scoff next to him, "Just say it, Peyton." He demanded turning towards her. "Go ahead and call me a jerk or a jackass or anything else you may want to say. I know I deserve it, okay, so you might as well get it over with."

"I just have a question for you." Peyton began as he waited expectantly, "why were you acting like such a…let's just use one of your words…jackass last night?"

"I don't know." He semi lied.

"That's disappointing." She stated.

He looked at her confused while asking her what she meant by that.

"Well, maybe if you tried to be a little bit more honest with yourself and with Haley when you do talk to her then maybe you can fix whatever caused you to be such a…word number two…jerk. And also for the record, you and Haley have both got to be two of the most naïve and stubborn people in the world."

Before Nathan could say anything more or even ponder anything further, Karen had walked back out placing the plate with his turkey sandwich along with some plain potato chips down in front of him. "Salt and fatty foods also help with headaches." She said winking at him before grabbing the coffee pot and checking on some customers sitting around the café.

Nathan ate his food in silence while sharing it with Sophie. He couldn't help but laugh at how much this girl could eat. She was so little, but she could certainly put a lot away. It reminded him of Haley which caused him to instantly smile. After finishing his food with Sophie's help, he drank the last drop of his coffee before pushing both the mug and his plate further away from him on the counter. He heard Peyton's voice sounding again, and he couldn't help but let out a tiny groan.

"You know…you don't deserve anything, but Haley might just be visiting the cemetery right now." She stated 'slyly'. "And I might just be willing to watch Sophie for awhile if you want to go check if you are really desperate to find her and talk to her."

"Really?" He questioned surprised.

Peyton turned and looked at him. She didn't answer, but by the look on her face he knew she was being completely serious.

Nathan thanked her as he gave Sophie a kiss goodbye telling her he'd be back soon before dropping some money on the counter and booking it out of the café and into his SUV. It only took him just a few minutes before he was pulling into the Oakdale Cemetery. After getting out, he walked through the headstones knowing which direction to go and soon enough, he found Haley sitting on the grass in front of two headstones sitting side by side.

Haley was sitting peacefully when she felt a presence next to her. She didn't have to look up to know who it was. In a completely contradicting way, she was both relieved and annoyed that it was him. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he took a seat down next to her.

"Hey." Nathan greeted quietly. He waited for her to respond, but she remained silent. He sighed softly as he looked at her. "I'm sorry, Haley." Still nothing. "Haley, please, can we just talk about this?" He pleaded.

"You know…" She began taking a deep sigh, "just like you have a hard time opening up about your parents, I also have a hard time opening up. Brooke is the only person I ever told about that night, and I trusted you. You really hurt me, Nathan."

"I know."

"No, you don't know!" She snapped actually surprising them both. "You don't know." She said a little more calmly after taking a quick moment before continuing. "I thought we were finally at this point where we were friends or at least trying to be friends or whatever this has been. For months, we haven't fought or been mean to each other or anything like we used to in the past. And it's been so nice. My whole life changed in one day. I lost my best friend who was so much more than just a best friend. I essentially became a mother. I quit my job. I moved away from my family and friends. And I'm not saying you haven't been affected by this nor am I blaming you for anything. I'm just talking about me. But it's just…it hasn't been easy, Nathan. But somehow you and Sophie have made it easier day by day. And when you treated me the way you did and said what you did, I felt so betrayed. And it really hurts."

"I'm so sorry, Haley. I know that sorry doesn't make up for anything, and I have no excuse for the way I acted or for what I said to you. I was drunk, and I'm not using that as an excuse-I'm not. But I was."

"But why were you drinking so much? I was there, Nathan. You were acting like that before you even started drinking heavier than just beer. I just don't know why you were acting like that in the first place." She stated.

Nathan knew she wanted answers, and she deserved the truth, but he wasn't sure he could actually come completely clean about it. He was still trying to admit and accept it himself, because he was in fact jealous. He realizes this. But he didn't know what to do about it. Things were good between them, and he didn't want to risk screwing that up. "I don't know. I guess…I was just…I don't know." He offered lamely looking down shamefully.

Haley closed her eyes and shook her head. That was definitely not the answer she wanted to hear from him. She deserved more than that, and it hurt that he couldn't-or wouldn't-give that to her. She wasn't exactly sure what his answer would have been or even what she wanted his answer to be, but she wanted some kind of answer. It was clear he was upset with her, but she didn't know why. It just hurt that he couldn't tell her. She thought they were finally at that turning point, but she guessed not.

* * *

><p>Two weeks had passed-two very long weeks. Nathan and Haley were now back in Charlotte and back to their old routine…except for the fact that they rarely talked. Aside from anything related to Sophie or the simple 'how was your day?' types of questions, they relatively kept to themselves. It was more of Haley than Nathan, though, as he tried to get them back on track. He repeatedly apologized until she finally told him to just stop. She said she believed he was sorry, and she accepted it and forgave him already. Nathan knew she was anything but fine but decided maybe it was best to give her some space. He just hoped it wouldn't be too much longer, because he missed her greatly. It was so weird how you can live with someone and see them every single day but yet feel so far away at the same time.<p>

Haley was lounging on the couch with a blanket draped over her form channel surfing looking for anything worthwhile to watch on the television. She let out an irritated sigh as she flipped and flipped yet nothing looked appealing. She perused through her DVR wondering if there were any recordings she forgot about, but again, nothing. Giving up, she settled on A Baby Story on TLC. As she continued to watch, she found herself completely fascinated with the couple whose life was currently being depicted onscreen. It was a story about a couple in their early thirties who have been trying to get pregnant for seven years. After several failed attempts, they finally went to a fertility expert only to be told there didn't seem to be anything wrong with either of them. So they went back to trying. Finally after another year later, she became pregnant. But it hasn't been an easy transition complete with too much weight loss, preeclampsia, bed rest, and a baby who was too eager to come into this world resulting in a premature delivery. The baby was currently in an incubation tube in the NICU as the parents along with the medical staff waited on pins and needles to see if the baby boy would even make it through the night.

Nathan walked into the living room with Sophie in tow clad in just a towel having just finished a bath. He took a seat on the couch brushing up against Haley's feet placing Sophie on his lap as he began to run a brush through her short, slightly damp, chocolate locks. He turned and noticed tears in Haley's eyes. "Are you okay?" He asked concerned.

Haley nodded solemnly, "Yeah."

Noticing that her eyes were glued to the television, Nathan turned and caught site of what she was watching. It made complete sense now as the first thing he saw was a baby in the hospital, and he had to stifle back a laugh which was threatening to escape. She was such a girl sometimes. He finished brushing Sophie's hair and then got started on dressing her in a white long-sleeved nightshirt with a little pink flower on the front and a pair of pink pajama pants. "You ready to go to bed, Soph."

Sophie shook her head vigorously, and Nathan knew instantly that he wasn't going to have an easy time getting her to sleep. It was definitely going to be a 'let her cry herself to sleep' kind of nights. He absolutely hated those nights, but it was the only way to get her to actually sleep sometimes. "All right…well, I'm going to go put her to bed." He said turning towards Haley.

Haley sat upright on the couch pulling the little girl in her embrace. "Good night, sweetie. Give me a kiss." She said leaning back slightly as Sophie kissed her on the lips. Haley smiled at the little girl before handing her back to Nathan who stood up and disappeared from the living room and into Sophie's bedroom.

Ten minutes had passed. Nathan was still with Sophie while Haley was still lying along the couch. She heard a knock at the door. She glanced at the clock as her eyebrows scrunched wondering who on earth would be here at this time of night. Throwing the blanket off of her body, she stood up from the couch making her way towards the door. She swung it open and there stood Dan Scott, and she swore she felt a shiver pass through her body. Instinctively glancing behind her to see if Nathan had come out yet, she inwardly cursed when he hasn't. She turned back around and was met with Dan who was giving her a quick overview before smirking. Haley wanted to throw up right then and there. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes. I would like to speak to my son." Dan said with a tone anything but friendly.

"Well, he's a little busy right so I..." Haley was interrupted as Dan brushed passed her making sure to add a little force in the process as he walked straight into their apartment. "Come on in." She mumbled sarcastically. It took everything inside of her not to scream. Taking a moment to compose herself, she shut the door. She turned around and followed Dan's footsteps and found him checking the place out. She heard him let a low chuckle as he turned around to face her.

"I see my son's turned into quite the little pansy, hasn't he?" He laughed. "Please tell me that you decorated, because at least that way he'd still have half of his balls still left."

Haley scoffed at his crude statements. She still could not believe Dan Scott was standing in their apartment. What the heck did he want?

"I'm not surprised, though." He stated as Haley looked at him confused. She didn't quite get what he meant by that. Dan smiled evilly at her before continuing, "My son did always have a soft spot for charity cases-one in particular." He said as he once again gave her an overview.

Haley brought her arms up crossing them in front of her chest. She wasn't wearing anything revealing. She had on a pair of black sweatpants, a long-sleeved navy blue t-shirt, and even a pair of socks so she was pretty much completely covered. But the look he was giving and the way he kept checking her out was making her really uncomfortable.

"So are you guys sleeping together yet?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" She bit out. She couldn't believe he seriously just asked her that.

"I asked if you guys were sleeping together yet." He repeated.

"That...that's really inappropriate and quite frankly none of your business." She responded.

"Is that a yes or a no?" He prodded unfazed by her response. He smirked as she sent him a look of complete disgust before turning away from him. "I'm guessing it's a no. I know my son pretty well, and let's just say you're missing a few assets and attributes compared to the normal girls he tends to go for. You're not exactly his type. But on the other hand, it is you."

Ignoring the obvious dig he made with his first comment, Haley wanted to ask him what the hell he meant with his second comment and his emphasis of the word 'you', but the sound of feet shuffling into the room prompted her in keeping her mouth shut. She felt her body tense slightly. How was Nathan going to react when he saw his father standing in the living room of their apartment?

"Well, she's asl..." Nathan stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed who was standing there. What the hell was his dad doing here? "What are you doing here?"

"Why I'm here to see you, son." Dan smirked. "You don't call or write or visit. How else am I supposed to talk to my one and only son now that the other worthless one is dead?"

Haley's mouth dropped open in shock at his words. What kind of man says that about his child? She looked over at Nathan. She could tell he had been affected by Dan's words, but at the same time, the look on his face also indicated that he wasn't all that surprised either.

"You need to leave. There is nothing more for us to talk about." Nathan said sternly.

"That's not true. There are plenty of things we could talk about." Dan began. "For starters, we could talk about basketball. That's always a great topic of conversation. Hey, even Miss James here can join in since she knows so much about the game." He said with exaggerated emphasis while sending a pointed look her way.

"Leave her out of this." Nathan warned.

Dan chuckled, "Oh right, we don't talk about her, do we?" He challenged.

Haley saw something flicker in Nathan's eyes, and she couldn't read it. She watched the exchange between Dan and Nathan, and there was definitely something more going on there, and she had the feeling that it more than involved her. She instantly flashed back to when Brooke told her the truth about why Nathan had punched Dan. She was really worried that she was about to witness the next physical fight between them, because the anger radiating off of Nathan was very present right now.

"Seriously, Dad, what are you doing here?" Nathan asked.

"Besides wanting to see you," Dan began as Nathan rolled his eyes in annoyance, "I wanted to come by and personally tell you that I'll be staying at the beach house for awhile since your mother and I are separating."

"She finally kicked you to the curb?" Nathan questioned.

"Hardly. And I wouldn't count on this separation lasting too long. Your mother is just not herself lately. You see, she has polished off the last of our wine collection along with all of the other alcohol in our house so she's channeling her pent up frustration on me. She's just at a moment of weakness, and I plan on at least humoring her for awhile, but once I stock up the house again, I'll be back home." Dan said.

"And that doesn't concern you?" Nathan questioned.

"Does it concern you?" Dan challenged. "You know, Nathan, maybe you should try and figure out why your mother drinks so much. Maybe it's because her one and only son has practically abandoned her and cut her out of his life. So maybe instead of trying to lay a guilt trip on me, you should be pointing the finger at yourself. And while we're on the subject, your mother is a grown woman. If she wants to drink then I don't give a damn. Hell, it keeps her from talking to me so it doesn't faze me one bit."

Nathan knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help but feel guilty. It wasn't because of Dan saying it was his fault that his mother drinks so much. He knew that wasn't true considering she started drinking long before he basically cut her out of his life. What he was feeling guilty about, though, was his lack of trying to help. He tried. He really did so he knows he shouldn't feel guilty. His mother is the one who has to actually acknowledge she has a problem and want to do something about it or nothing will ever work. But maybe he didn't try hard enough. Maybe instead of shutting her out, he should have really pushed and encouraged her to get help.

Haley watched the plethora of emotions passing through Nathan's face, and she hated the way Dan was trying to manipulate his own son. What kind of man did that? Nathan didn't deserve to feel the weight of his mother's problem on his shoulders, and she wanted to make sure he realized that. "Nathan, it's not your fault." She said quietly.

"And what prêt ail do you know about our family, Miss James?" Dan snarled at the girl.

"I know more than you think and even if I didn't, I know Nathan. And your son is not the one who's at fault for Deb's drinking." Haley said without skipping a beat.

"And I suppose you think it's mine."

"I never said that. As you've stated, Deb is a grown woman who makes her own choices, but out of everyone involved, Nathan is the one who owns no fault in it." She argued.

"Man, you two really must be sleeping together." He said capturing Nathan's attention once again. He laughed at the glare his son was sending his way. "You've got your own little personal cheerleader here, Nate. I've got to hand it to you, Miss James." He began turning to face Haley once again also chuckling at the look on her face. "You're quite the actress. You almost have me fooled. It's such a shame my son can't see through your innocent little act. I know exactly what type of girl you are."

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough about you, little girl. I know who your parents are…or should I say were considering your daddy skipped town as your mother lies buried in a coffin."

Haley barely had any time to process what he had just said when she heard a loud 'crack' as Dan went stumbling backwards. Turning towards Nathan, she saw him shaking his right hand while wincing slightly, and she realized he had just hit his father once again. Instinctively, she looked at his hand and let out a sigh of relief when it didn't appear to be as bad as the last time. And Nathan was bending his fingers so she was more than sure that it wasn't broken.

"You need to leave right now before I call the cops! And believe me I have no problem doing it!" Nathan exclaimed.

Dan wiped the blood from his lip as he glared at his son as he walked towards the door with Nathan trailing closely behind him. He stopped abruptly arriving at the door and turned back around with a smirk on his face, "Think about what you're doing, Nathan. She's not worth it. They're not worth it." He stated referring to both Haley and Sophie.

"Get the hell out of here and don't ever say anything like that to me again because a right hook to your jaw will be the least of your worries!" Nathan threatened.

"Go ahead and wreck your life over some girl. You might as well considering you already quit basketball, right. What's one more mistake? I'll see you around, son." Dan said one final time before exiting out of the apartment slamming the door shut behind him.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Nathan turned around to find Haley standing behind him. "I'm sorr…" Before he can finish, her lips were on his in a soft kiss. The kiss was simple as Haley let her lips linger against his for just a bit before breaking contact and backing away. She smiled ever so softly at him as he stood there in shock. "Wha…what was that for?" He stammered.

"For standing up for me with your dad."

"Well, he was way out of line."

"I wasn't talking about just tonight." She said capturing his full attention-not that she didn't already have it, but he was definitely more alert now. "I was also talking about the day you broke your hand." She revealed sending a soft smile his way. "Put some ice on your hand." She ordered softly before turning and walking away leaving him even more shocked than before.

_Nathan walked into the house fresh from his run with sweat dripping down his body as he panted heavily. Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator after arriving in the kitchen, he sucked back the whole thing in one gulp. He threw the empty plastic container into the trash can before walking over towards the island placing his elbows on the surface and leaning his face to rest in his palms. He pushed himself too hard earlier. His head was still throbbing slightly from his hangover, and he really felt like he could throw up at any moment. But he had to work off his frustrations, and running was the way he had to do it. He took deep breaths when he heard heavy footsteps coming into the kitchen, and he let out a low groan already knowing who it was._

"_Well, well…if it isn't my favorite son." Dan said walking further into the kitchen. He smirked as Nathan said nothing as well as not even acknowledging his presence. "What's wrong with you, Nathan? Are you still angry with our talk last night?"_

"_Just let it go, Dad."_

"_Now why would I do that? You know, you're just like that useless brother of yours. You can't do anything right anymore, and you're going to turn out just like him-stuck here living a life that will never satisfy you." Dan said._

"_Projecting much?" Nathan quipped._

_Dan ignored his son's comment and continued, "You're not quite as pathetic as your brother. Not yet anyway. He surpasses you because of that girl he's marrying. I thought it was just a fling, you know. She's a beautiful girl, and Lucas was in need of someone to keep his bed warm at night. And let's face it Brooke Davis sure knows how to do that considering how much she's been around."_

"_Brooke's not like that, dad. She's a good person, and she makes Lucas happy. He loves her. They love each other, and they're going to have a marriage filled with love and happiness. You can't say the same, can you?" Nathan challenged._

"_Maybe you are closer to turning completely into Lucas than I thought. I heard you spent the night with that Haley girl last night." Dan stated._

"_Gosh, not you, too. Not that you deserve an answer at all, but all I did was sleep there. I slept in the bed as she slept on the couch. There was nothing more to it so just drop it."_

"_I'm not blind, Nathan. I've seen the way you've looked at that girl all these years. And I've seen that picture you keep 'hidden' so don't try to pull one over on me." Dan countered._

"_You don't know what you're talking about." Nathan bit out._

"_Fine, continue with your denial. But I will say this, Nathan, she's not worth it. She comes from a completely different background than you do. You need to forget about that girl. She's nothing but lower class."_

"_You don't know anything about her." Nathan said feeling his anger rise._

"_This is a small town, and I know all that I need to know. She doesn't belong with us. She's a waitress for God's sake. And she has more issues than you should have to deal with. Her daddy was nothing but a dead beat and ran off. The best thing that ever happened was when she left for California because I was sure you'd forget about her and move on, but then her mom just had to get sick. She should have just keeled over before Haley decided to move back here. She died just a little too late, huh." Dan chuckled. The next thing he knew, he felt an intense pain in his face as he flew back falling down to the ground._

_Nathan didn't even think as his fist collided hard into his father's face. He was immediately met with a pain that almost took his breath away as he heard a 'crack'. He looked down and noticed how blue and purple his hand was already beginning to turn. He tried to "shake the pain away" only to feel a more intense level of pain causing him to wince loudly. Not bothering to take another glance at his father, he grabbed his keys from the island counter and walked straight out of the house. Sliding into the driver's seat of his SUV, he winced as his hand kept hitting against things. He realized this was not going to be an easy task as he started the engine and pulled the gear into reverse. On his way to the hospital, he kept replaying what had just happened over and over in his head. He couldn't believe how low his father had stooped with the things he was saying about Haley's mother. He had definitely crossed a line and more than deserved that punch. He was just praying that his father was feeling the type of pain he deserved._

* * *

><p>Nathan fished out his keys as he stared at the door in front of him. He knew he had to do this or at least try, but he was nervous and apprehensively. After minutes of debating back and forth in his head, he finally placed on the keys into the lock and turned it. The house still looked the same as it always did-dark and intimidating. He walked through the foyer looking for any sign of her, and he found her sitting in the living room with a glass of wine. "I guess dad stocked the place once again." He muttered bitterly before shaking those thoughts away. He had to try to remain positive or his anger and resentment would probably get the best of him. "Hey, mom." He greeted quietly.<p>

Deb was completely stunned to see her son standing in the room. "Nathan. What are you doing here?" She asked standing up to face him.

"I think we should talk." He stated simply, timidly.

"Of course. Come…sit down." She gestured towards the couch as she herself plopped down.

Hesitating for a brief moment, he finally took a seat next to her.

"It's so good to see you." She said. She hadn't seen him since Christmas nor had she talked to him since, and it was such a pleasant, unexpected surprise. She felt nervous, though. Her conversations with him never seem to end on a pleasant note, and she was also curious as to what he wanted to talk to her about. She knew this was anything but a simple social visit.

Nathan took a deep breath. "Mom, you have a problem." He said jumping straight to the point.

"What are you talking about, Nathan?"

"You're an alcoholic, and you need to get some help." He replied.

"Nathan, I am not an alcoholic. I'm fine. So I occasionally enjoy a glass of wine or two-that doesn't mean I have a problem." She said shaking her head as she stood up from the couch.

Nathan was quick to follow as he felt a sudden anger pass through his body, "Mom, stop!" He exclaimed causing her to turn around surprised by his sudden outburst. "For once in your life, can you just listen to me and talk to me? I came here today out of concern for you. I want to see you get better so can you please just hear me out?"

Deb nodded softly.

"You do have a problem, and you need to admit it. There's nothing wrong with it. People develop addictions all of the time, and it's okay. But it isn't okay to not do anything about it or at least try. Nobody will look down on you for trying to get better, but everyone looks down on you for not doing something about it. You have the opportunity to get better, and all I'm asking is that you try."

"Nathan…"

"I have some brochures here for some rehabilitation facilities here in North Carolina," He quickly interrupted. "I want you to get better, mom. I want you to be in my life again."

"I want that, too. I miss you, Nathan."

"But I can't do it." He declared. "Unless you sober up and get your life back together, I am telling you that this will be the last time I ever speak to you. I don't want Sophie around someone who has a problem like you do. She doesn't need to have that type of influence around her. And I am choosing Sophie in this situation. And I'm choosing myself. I was robbed of a mother growing up, and before it's too late, I would like to fix that. But it's up to you to make the changes necessary for that to happen. I'm here to support you. We are all here for you-Keith, Karen, even Haley. We are here for you through this whole process, and I know it isn't going to be easy, and we understand that. But we want to help you. Can you please just try?"

Tears clouded her vision as she began to feel overwhelmed with emotions. Instinctively, she reached for her wine glass bringing it to her lips only to have it softly taken from her hands. Her eyes met Nathan's.

"You don't need this, mom." He said softly but sternly.

"I'm sorry, Nathan." She cried, tears streaming down her face as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Nathan stiffened as he felt his mother's arms around him. Things were so complicated between the two of them, and it was so natural for him to just brush his mother off. She made it easier and easier over the years. But now, he wanted her to know he was there for her. "I love you, mom. Just please get some help. If not for yourself then for me."

**So please let me know what you think. I know things were kind of short and straight to the point, but I wanted to get through this chapter quickly to move onto the rest of the story.**

**And be on the lookout for another chapter soon. I would love to get one up for you on Friday, but I'm not going to make any promises. But I will promise to try really hard to do so. :)**

**Nine chapters left! And from here on out, I'm going to try to make the chapters nice and long for you guys.**


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm back with another update! And just like the last time, I'm really sorry for the delay. I had to cover a coworker's shifts on Friday and Saturday night, and I haven't had the time to sit down and write. And in my defense, when I finally got onto this site, it wouldn't let me log in for some reason. It took me about ten minutes just to get online. But I am very sorry. Thanks for being patient with me.**

**As always, thank you for all of the story alerts I have and continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to OTHfan25, LadyD, Sophiaaaaa, naleyluv, HBJOTH23 (chapter 19), rosepetal16, illicitencounters, courtneylovejason, luvnit, GottaluvNaley, Steffsche, Tutourgirl23, thekellay, Ellie, forhimonly67, JamesLover23, solo73, Othfan48, pam211, and toughgirl23 for taking the time to review. Your reviews are so awesome and so lovely and inspiring to read. They really do keep me motivated, and I just love hearing your thoughts on the story/characters/etc whether it's good, bad...whatever. ****Just thanks again.**

**And sorry, because I was way too tired and impatient to truly proofread through this so please forgive any gramatical/spelling errors.**

**Anyway, nothing left to say so get reading!**

Nathan flicked on his right turn signal as he turned onto Grace Street driving literally just a couple seconds before parallel parking the SUV between a white Volkswagen GTI and a red Ford Focus before thrusting the gear into park. Haley jumped out of the passenger seat and climb into the back as she unfastened Sophie from her car seat as he grabbed a few items from the back seat as well as the trunk. "Are you ready to spend the whole weekend with Grandma Karen and Grandpa Keith? Huh, sweetie?" Haley said in a baby voice as she pulled Sophie out balancing her against her right hip. "They are super excited to have you the whole weekend."

"You ready?" Nathan asked coming to stand next to them. Haley nodded, and he placed his hand on her lower back leading the three of them into the cafe. Once inside, they immediately spotted Keith sitting on a stool at the counter and Karen standing behind the cash register. Keith was the first one to spot them as he stood up and held out his hands, "There is my beautiful granddaughter."

Haley placed Sophie on the ground, and the little girl took off running towards Keith who swept her up in his arms hugging her tightly to his chest before showering her face with kisses as she giggled profusely.

Nathan and Haley approached the counter as the four adults greeted one another. Karen grabbed a diet Pepsi and a regular Pepsi for them as they all climbed into a nearby empty booth. "How was the drive?" She asked.

"Good." Haley answered simply. The truth was that it was a little awkward. She and Nathan still weren't exactly "speaking" aside from anything related to Sophie and whatnot. For Haley there were a couple reasons...for one thing, she was still upset with him about what happened at Mouth and Millie's wedding, and she didn't see that going away overnight. She knew he was sorry and was sincere about it, but she was finding it hard to open up to him again. Especially on such a deep level as she had.

For another thing, the unexpected kiss she planted on him. She had no intention of doing that. It was completely impulsive and unplanned. She was feeling so many emotions, and her first response was to kiss him. It wasn't even a heavy kiss. It was so chaste and innocent yet it felt so much more than that. She was slightly embarrassed by her behavior, and she wasn't quite sure how Nathan was feeling about it. Thankfully, he hasn't addressed it, and she wasn't sure if he was going to. The last couple of weeks have been kind of hectic, though. Nathan has been traveling with the team to a lot of away games as as attending most of the home games for work, because the end of April through May were the NBA playoffs which was sure to keep him busy. Sophie's birthday was coming up at the end of June, and they were throwing a party for her in Tree Hill, and they had actually talked about staying in town for the entire summer.

And along with his traveling for work, he's also been traveling back and forth from Tree Hill to Charlotte for the past couple of weeks as well. After another long, heart-to-heart talk with his mother, Deb finally agreed to giving rehab a try so he's been helping her get some information together and calling to set up her arrival. Just four days ago, he had driven her to Raleigh, North Carolina to the Holly Hill Hospital as she checked herself into a thirty to ninety day program, however long she needed, to help sober up and learn tools to stay sober. Haley hadn't even had the chance to talk to him about everything since as soon as he returned to Charlotte he was packing, kissing Sophie goodbye, and leaving with the team to Cleveland, Ohio for the next game. She couldn't even read his expressions or anything, and she sincerely wanted to know how he was dealing with it all. She knew it had to be difficult for him considering he doesn't have the easiest relationship with his mother. She just wanted to know if he was okay.

"So...you guys have two full days without this little one," Karen began gesturing towards Sophie, "what are your plans?"

"Sleeping." Nathan and Haley answered simultaneously as the four of them chuckled.

"Now that sounds like a very productive weekend." Keith teased.

"We think so." Nathan stated. "Actually, I do have that game in Atlanta tomorrow night so I won't be sleeping the entire two days."

"And I plan on being pretty productive tomorrow. I plan on getting a whole bunch of housework done and running a bunch of errands so I can spend Saturday in total relaxation." Haley said.

"That's the way I do things." Karen agreed.

"Well, speaking of...we should probably get going." Nathan annouced as Haley nodded in agreement. The four of them stood up from the table. Keith handed Sophie over to Nathan as he peppered her face with kisses, "I'm going to miss you so much, sweetie."

Haley took her from his arms as she, too, peppered her face with kisses, "I'm going to miss you, too. You be good for your grandparents which I'm sure you will since you're always such a perfect little angel. Bye. We love you." She said giving her one final kiss before handing her back over to Keith.

Thirty minutes later, Nathan and Haley were comfortably settled back into the SUV and on their way to Charlotte once again. It was quiet-awkwardly quiet. And without Sophie there to distract them, even though all she did was make her normal little baby noises while also attempting to actually talk, the deafening silence was more than noticed.

With her shoeless, sock covered feet resting along the dashboard, Haley flipped through the magazine she wasn't even really reading. It was some ridiculous gossip magazine where more than half of the stuff written inside of it was more than likely false or fabricated in some way or another. Sighing, she tossed the magazine over her shoulder to the backseat.

Nathan listened and watched out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but let out a low chuckle. She was so amusing sometimes. Focusing his full attention back on the road, he continue to drive as they sat in silence. He was looking at the passing scenery when he heard an irritated sigh escape from Haley's lips. He turned and noticed her staring-more like glaring-at him, "What did I do?"

"You're breathing hard. It's annoying. You're annoying so stop." Haley bit out.

"Jeez...sorry, Hales. How about we turn on the radio or something?" He suggested pushing the power button on the CD player as a song from the Krazy Kuzins started blaring. Out of habit, neither turned it off and soon they had even begun singing along with the catchy tune without even realizing it.

_"If you didn't know, we're the kids that rock. Getting really smart, and we're never gonna stop. We sing about..."_

All of a sudden they stopped and turned their heads towards one another before they began to laugh hysterically. Nathan quickly pushed the button again abruptly turning the song off. "That...right there..." He began pointing dramatically towards the radio/CD player. "The fact that I know that song by heart and was singing it depresses me severely."

If possible, Haley was laughing even harder at his statement feeling the same way he did. "I know what you mean. Gosh, when did I become this type of person?" She asked rhetorically through her laughter.

"In our defense, it is a catchy song." He said.

"That is true." She agreed. They caught each other's gazes as they starting laughing once again. She turned and rested her head up against the window as their laughter died down.

Nathan glanced over at her and smiled when he noticed her resting against the window. She was smiling, and she looked so peaceful and happy. And it was so nice to hear her laughing once again. Of course he's heard her laughing with Sophie, but it was nice to hear her laughing at and with him again. He has missed her so much, and he really missed talking to her and spending time wtih her. Just then, an idea popped into his head. "Hales," He began capturing her attention.

"Yeah."

"I was thinking...maybe if you want, would you like to come to Atlanta with me tomorrow? To the game?" He asked timidly.

Haley looked at him surprised by his invitation. "What?"

"You're not doing anything tomorrow, and I was just thinking that you might want to come with me. Sophie's gone, and we can make a little mini vacation out of it." He suggested.

"A mini vacation? To Atlanta? For your job?"

"Yeah," He chuckled. "Hey, you enjoyed it last time."

"I did." She admitted.

"So you could enjoy it again. We can get out of town even if it's just for one night. What do you say?"

"I don't know, Nathan." Haley hedged. "Things are...I just...I don't think that would be a good idea."

Nathan nodded his head knowing where she was going with this. "I get it, Hales. What you mean is that you don't think it's a good idea to go with me." He stated sotfly.

"Nathan, I didn't..."

"No, it's okay." He interrupted her. "I hurt you, and you're still upset about that. I get it. You have every right to still be angry or disappointed or whatever you are with me. I guess I was just hoping that maybe if we went away together just the two of us...well, and some players and staff and..."

Haley had to bite down on her lower lip to keep from laughing.

"Anyway, I was just thinking maybe some time away might do the both of us some good. But nevermind, it was a stupid idea. I'm sorry. Besides you probably want to enjoy having the apartment all to yourself anyway. It's not every day that happens now." He said letting a fake laugh escape deep from his throat before focusing his full attention back on the road ahead of them.

Haley knew she shouldn't but she felt guilty. Maybe she has "punished" him enough. She knew he was really sorry, and he has been really trying to make things right. And he has been really sweet lately. He's been cooking dinner and cleaning up around the house on days and nights when he was home. He was the typical man in those departments as it was something he rarely offered to do. And she knows he's been stressed out himself with everything going on with his mom and rehab. She still hated what he said and how he acted, but maybe she should try harder. "I don't like it." She stated quietly.

"Don't like what?" He asked confused.

"Being home alone." She answered looking at him. "It's nice to have some moments alone without Sophie and you so I can just relax and breathe, but that's what the bath I'm taking when we get back home tonight is for. I don't want to be home alone tomorrow, and I don't want to spend the day cleaning."

"So what are you saying?" He asked hoping her answer was what he was thinking-he just didn't want to get his hopes up.

"I'm saying that yes, I would love to go to Atlanta with you tomorrow." She answered.

Nathan smiled a goofy smile before turning his head straight ahead as Haley smiled leaning her forehead against the passenger side window. The two drove the rest of the way back to Charlotte in a complete, comfortable silence.

* * *

><p>Haley slid into the seat next to the window of the private jet as Nathan placed his bag in the overhead compartment. Haley looked through the glass observing all of the outside chaos. She absolutely loved flying, and she hadn't been in a plane for years. Her cheeks were actually a little sore from smiling so much. She felt an arm brush up against her, and she turned to see Nathan taking a seat in the chair next to her. "How long is this flight?"<p>

"I don't...I think it's like forty-five minutes or something."

"Really? That's short." She stated.

"Long enough." He mumbled.

Haley heard the shakiness in his voice and turned abruptly towards him. She observed the slight paleness of his skin, the way his arms were gripping the arms of his seat, and the way his eyes kept staring straight ahead. Her eyes gleamed mischieviously. "You're scared of flying."

"No I'm not." He scoffed the shakiness still evident in his voice.

"Oh my gosh, you are!" She exclaimed. This news was way too good.

"I am not scared. I'm just...planes crash. We're up thousands of feet in the air with other planes. We can crash. The engine could give out or break or something, and we can crash."

"That is true."

Nathan looked at her incredulously, "Are you trying to make me feel better?"

Haley smiled apologetically at him. "Look...it is true that we can crash, but we can also be involved in car crashes, and we drive in cars every single day. And it has been statistically proven that car crashes happen more frequently, and you have a greater chance at being involved in those than in plane crashes." She said trying to make him feel better.

"Yeah, but that's obvious. There are ten times the amount of cars on the road than there are planes in the sky. Of course, there are going to be more shown in statistics. But if you would even the two out then you would probably see an equal amount of both." He argued.

"You fly all of the time. How do you handle this normally?" She asked.

"He doesn't." Clay stated appearing in the aisle next to them. "Why do you think nobody sits with him? He's insanely annoying to fly with."

"Clay, go away." Haley ordered. "You're insanely annoying."

Clay chuckled as he walked away from them.

Haley rolled her eyes as she heard a bunch of the other guys laughing as Clay approached them before focusing again on Nathan. Gosh, he was really scared of flying. A ding sounded as the fasten your seatbelt sign lit up in front and above them. She made sure she was buckled in while noticing Nathan doing the same except he kept pulling on the strap to make it as tight as he could. Again, she let a small laugh escape from her lips. She placed her left hand over his right arm leaning closer into him. "It's okay, Nathan. Just breathe." She instructed as he did what she told him to. "It's less than an hour. That's nothing you can't handle, right?"

Nathan, still looking straight ahead, only nodded.

The plane began to move away from the gate as Haley kept her eyes focused on Nathan. She wanted to laugh at the look of fear and panic swarming his face. She wanted to for the times when he's used her "irrational" fears against her, but she couldn't seem to do so. He was really scared right now. And as the plane began to ascend into the air, she saw him grip the side arms of his seat even tighter if that was possible. She quickly placed her left hand over his right hand. "Nathan, look at me." She ordered and watched as he finally tore his eyes away and turned towards her. "Hi." She said quietly sending him a soft smile.

"Hi." He returned quietly.

"You are okay. The plane is okay. And the flight is going to be okay." She reassured.

Nathan stared into her eyes seeing the complete sincerity and feeling a complete warmth surrounding him. He felt his entire body begin to calm down. He felt himself getting lost in her gaze as they continued to stare at one another. The atmosphere around them was shifting. The next thing he felt was her hand which was covering his hand was now brushing up against his cheek, and he felt something snap inside of him. "Let's go out to dinner tomorrow night." He said before he even realized he was saying it.

"What?"

"I'm asking you if you want to go to dinner tomorrow night with me. Just the two of us." He stated. He felt nervous which was something he was definitely not accustomed to when asking girls out considering that's basically what he had just done.

Haley was caught off guard by his suggestion. Did he mean like a date or just a casual dinner between to people who were living together and raising a kid together? She was mentally laughing at that description which sounded extremely weird, and she wondered what that would sound like to someone who had no idea about their current situation. Shaking those thoughts from her head since this had absolutely nothing to do with the current matter at hand. She wanted to ask him if he meant a date which had her insides doing all kinds crazy things, but she didn't want to cause any discomfort for either of them. He probably just meant it in a casual way anyway. "I would really like that." She answered.

* * *

><p>Haley finished putting the earrings Nathan got her for her birthday into her ears as she gave herself one final glance in the mirror. She was had on a white camisol with a lacy light pink short-sleeved sheer top with a wrap around tie in the middle underneath her breasts on top of it. She had it paired with a pair of dark denim skinny jeans and some black heeled pumps. She curled her hair just slightly at the ends leaving it down. She wanted to keep things simple. Tonight was not a date. She had to keep telling herself that or else she would get a false...<em>hope<em>?

Grabbing her purse which was sitting on the top of her bed, she headed out into the living room and noticed how strangely quiet it was. She figured Nathan was still getting ready so she took a seat on the couch. After five minutes passed, she stood up and headed towards his bedroom. "Nathan." She called opening his door only to find it deserted. Growing completely confused, she then checked the bathroom which was also deserted. "What the hell?" She asked walking back into the living room. "Did he forget?" She questioned aloud. Tears flooded her eyes but she managed to keep them at bay. She couldn't believe he forgot. After everything that has happened, how could he do this to her?

Defeated, she was just about to go back into her bedroom and stip out of her clothes, put on some pajamas, and climb into her bed when she heard the doorbell ring. She let out a deep sigh and begrudgingly headed towards the door opening it only to be surprised to see Nathan standing on the other side with a bouquet of flowers-white orchids to be exact. Her favorite. Now she really felt like crying.

"Wow. You look beautiful." He breathlessly complimented handing the flowers out to her.

"Thank you. You look good, too." And he did standing there in a dark pair of jeans and a baby blue polo. She absolutely loved blue on him. It really did make his ocean blue eyes pop.

"Are you ready?" He questioned.

"Yeah, let me just go put these in some water. Would you like to come inside and wait for me? My roommate is gone for the night so he shouldn't be a bother." She teased.

"He. Well, I don't know how I feel about you living with a guy." He said joining in with her whole act as he followed her into the apartment.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure he's gay." She smirked.

Nathan's mouth dropped open, "You're really asking for it, aren't you? You think you're so funny. Well, I'd be careful there, Haley James. I'm sure he would be all too willing to prove to you just how straight he is." He countered as Haley let out a giggle.

Thirty minutes later, they were seated at a table in a restaurant which Haley was told by Nathan was one of the most popular restaurants in Charlotte. The building was beautiful, and the venue was relaxing and casual yet with a touch of romance and elegance added to it. The place was pretty busy, but that was expected considering it was a Saturday night. They were lucky they didn't have a long wait compared to others considering Nathan had already made reservations for them which Haley was unaware of.

A girl who looked about mid-twenties with dark brown almost black wearing a pair of black trousers, a long-sleeved white button down shirt with a black vest appeared at the table sporting a mega watt smile while placing down a couple of tall glasses of water in front of them. "Good evening. Welcome to the Pewter Rose Bistro. My name is Marissa, and I will be serving the two of you tonight. Can I start you off with a beverage? We have a specatcular wine selection and right now we are featuring an Italian wine. Valcalepio Rosso which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is sensational, and I highly recommend it."

Nathan looked over to Haley who nodded. "We will take a couple glasses."

"Excellant choice. I am guessing that you need a few moments to look over your menus so I will be back in a little bit with your drinks." Marissa said as she smiled at them before rushing off.

"This place is really amazing, Nathan. Have you ever been here?" Haley asked.

"Yes, a few times actually."

"With dates?" She questioned.

Nathan chuckled, "Yes." He admitted.

"So tell me what Nathan Scott does on a date. Do you go all romantic with the girls or are you straight forward like you usually are?" She questioned taking a sip of her water.

"You really want to hear this?" He questioned as she nodded. "Okay, well, sometimes a little bit of both. I guess it depends on the girl-the type of girl she is."

"What you mean to say is it depends on if she's easy enough not needing the extra effort, right?" She questioned amused.

"Yes, you are right again." He stated as they perused through their menus. "I was a jerk."

Haley looked up at his admission with total interest.

"I was. I treated women like dirt, and I used them for sex. I admit that I just didn't care about them or their feelings. I only wanted them for the pleasure they could bring me. But I don't feel that way now. I really don't. Looking back, I don't like the way I treated them. It wasn't right, and I don't want to do that in the future."

Haley listened to his words and actually believed him. He was being completely honest with her right now-she could hear that in his voice and see it in his facial expressions. "You know, it's not all your fault."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure most of those girls knew all about your whoring ways. They would have had to have been death, blind, and stupid not to know which I'm sure a select few were with that last one." She stated causing him to laugh. "But they went along with it either way. They knew what they were getting into and allowed it to happen. So while that doesn't make it right for you to actually treat them the way you did, they are equally at fault for putting themselves in that situation. Girls are just as evil and stupid as guys are."

"Not all of them. Some actually have respect for themselves." He responded sending a pointed look her way before looking back down to his menu.

Haley blushed just as the waitress returned to their tables with their glasses of wine. "Are you two ready to order or would you like some more time?"

"I'm ready. Are you?" Nathan asked Haley.

She nodded, "I would like a Greek salad, please."

"And for your side? We have french fries, asparagus, smoky collards, macaroni and cheese, mash..."

"Oh, macaroni and cheese, please." Haley interrupted.

"Okay." Marissa smiled. "And for you?" She asked turning towards Nathan.

"I'll just have the prime rib with a side of mashed potatoes." He ordered handing both his and Haley's menus over to her as she graciously accepted them and walked away. "Macaroni and cheese." He smirked.

"Hey, macaroni and cheese is the food of the Gods." She defended.

"Yeah, if the Gods were five year olds." He teased taking a sip of his wine as she sent a mock pout his way.

Twenty minutes later, the two were enjoying their meals making comfortable small talk-talking about the game and about Sophie. They were just in general having a nice, relaxing evening talking with one another trying to get their relationship back on track.

Haley listened as Nathan rambled on about something Sophie had attempted to say the other day when she couldn't help but want to ask him about his mom. She really felt like this was the right time, but she also had a very small part of her screaming she shouldn't and it wasn't the right moment to bring all of that stuff up. He had finally finished his story taking a sip of his wine when she realized she couldn't keep putting it off anymore. She had to know how he was dealing with everything. She wanted to know. "Nathan, how are things with your mom?"

Nathan was surprised by her question. It was really random, and he wondered what caused her to bring this up now. Not that he was angry or anything for her asking, he was just surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"I just...with everything going on, we haven't really talked about it. We haven't really talked about anything surrounding it except for the fact that she was going to rehab. I want to know what happened and how you're feeling about it all. I just want you to talk to me about it." She explained.

"Honestly, I don't really know how I'm feeling about everything. I feel like I have so many emotions and mixed feelings about it all that it's hard to actually put it all into words." He began struggling on where to start.

"Well, how about you tell me about when you dropped her off at the rehabilitation center." She suggested trying to help give him that nudge.

"The ride to Raleigh was a little awkward. It's been a long time since I was alone with my mother for that period of time.  
>We didn't really say too much. I was trying to even think of something to say to her, and I think she was nervous about rehab. She kept fidgeting with her hands and biting her fingernails."<p>

"She probably was nervous, and she probably really wanted a drink. She was probably feeling a little bit of a withdrawal as well." Haley stated.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I get scared." He admitted.

"About?"

"About everything. I get scared of what she's doing inside there and how she's handling everything. I get scared that my dad's going to interfere with her getting better. And I really get scared that once she's out she'll revert back to drinking. I want her to get better. I really do. I want to trust her again, and I want her to be in my life again. I just want my mom back in my life. In a positive way for Sophie and for me. For you."

"I admire you for this, Nathan. You could have easily turned your back on her and this situation. Lord knows she probably deserves it, but you aren't. You're fighting to help her, and you're fighting to get your relationship back on track with her. That's amazing. Not too many people would be willing to do that, but you are. And you aren't alone. We are all here to support you with this. I'm here, and I want you to talk to me about anything. I'm not going anywhere, Nathan." She affirmed passionately.

"Good, because I need you. You're the only one who makes this easier." He admitted. "I'm not going anywhere either."

* * *

><p>Nathan pulled the car into the private parking garage and into the empty spot next to the covered motorcycle. Placing the gear into park, he glanced at the bike once again. He couldn't even remember the last time he drove that thing. Sighing, he turned the ignition off pulling the keys out before climbing out of the SUV. Haley appeared by his side just a couple seconds later.<p>

"So is this one of those motorcycles that is named after your crotch or something?" She questioned.

"You mean a Crotch Rocket." He corrected chuckling.

"Okay, yeah...whatever."

"No. This is a Triumph Scrambler." He answered.

"And what's the difference?"

"Well, aside from the look and model, there is..." He began but stopped, "you know what, they're all just different. You probably wouldn't get it or care if I told you the difference so let's just leave it at that."

"That's fine by me."

Nathan looked at her and smiled, "You know, I don't even remember the last time I took this thing for a drive. I think I'm going to sell it."

"What? Why?"

"Well, what's the point of keeping it? It's just sitting here. It's not like I can take Sophie places on it. And there's someone out there who would want to be driving it. It deserves to be driven."

"So go drive it." She suggested.

"Really?"

Haley scrunched her face up and laughed, "Yeah, of course. Why not? Go take it out for a drive."

Nathan felt a twinge of excitement in the pit of his stomach. He loved his motorcycle, and he missed driving it. The feeling was such a rush. He glanced over at Haley and an idea popped in his mind, "Come with me."

"What?" Haley laugh and began shaking her head. "Umm, no. No, I don't think so."

"Come on. You will feel such a rush, and I have a feeling that you would love it." He tried persuading.

"Nathan, this is...this is so not something I would do or ever want to do. This is dangerous and insane." She argued.

"I think you're lying." He began as she cut her eyes to him sharply. "I do. I think this is exactly the type of thing you would be interested in trying. You're using the dangerous thing as an excuse, because deep down, I think the thought of this is thrilling for you, but you don't want to admit it."

Haley scoffed and turned her body away from him.

"Come on, Hales. Come for a ride with me." He asked gently mirroring the same tone the last time he asked her to come for a ride with him.

Five minutes later, the two of them were standing on the side of the street outside of their apartment complex next to the black motorcycle. Haley slipped the extra helmet onto her head, "How do I look?" She smiled.

"You look pretty hot, Haley James." Nathan stated fastening the two straps between the base of her chin and her neck. "I have a thing for biker chicks."

"Really?" She questioned doubtfully.

"No, not really. But right now...I'm definitely making an exception." He stated suggestively winking at her.

A blush invaded his face while butterflies swarmed in her stomach. She watched as he climbed onto the bike scooting up leaving some room for her. "Your turn, Hales. Unless you're chickening out again."

She sent a mock glare his way. "No, I am not chickening out." She promised as she swung her right leg over the motorcycle adjusting herself on the seat. "Okay, what do I do now?"

"First, you're going to place your feet on those little pegs on the side right there." He instructed pointing to a peg sticking out on her left side. He watched as she looked down finding it and placing her left foot on it before doing the same with her right foot. He felt her placing her hands on his shoulders to balance herself and get more accustomed to it all. "You all set?" He questioned.

"I am. What's next?"

"Next...we drive." He answered smirking at the slightly frightened look that appeared on her face.

"Already?" She questioned with a quiver to her voice. Her stomach almost dropped when she heard the engine rev up. She felt her nerves increase greatly, but at the same time, she had to admit that there was a hint of adrenaline mixed in as well. She caught Nathan's glance, and it was as if he knew exactly what was running through her mind as he smirked knowingly at her. "I'm ready." She declared smiling smugly.

Nathan chuckled as he turned around, "You might want to hold on."

"To what?"

"Anything you want." He teased as she slapped him playfully on his shoulder. He grabbed her hands and wrapped them around his waist drawing her chest up against his back. "I always knew you wanted to get close to me."

"You figured me out." She placated.

"Are you ready for the drive of your life, Haley James?"

"Show me what you've got, Nathan Scott." She replied. She smiled when she noticed the smiled forming on Nathan's lips from his side profile. She heard him rev the engine just slightly before he told her to hang on. She wrapped her arms securely around his waist as he released the clutch, and they took off. She let out a tiny scream out of surprise at first while also tightening her hold on him before she finally felt herself relaxing and allowed herself to just enjoy the ride for the next several minutes.

Haley had never felt something so freeing and liberating in her life as she felt the wind pounding her face. With her arms still wrapped securely and comfortably around Nathan's waist, she enjoyed the scenic route he was taking them on. They were currently on a country back road just ouside of the city limits. It was beautiful and relaxing with the quietness and stillness of the deserted road and the thousands of stars illuminating the night sky.

She still couldn't believe Nathan had talked her into this. The truth was that if it was anyone else, she would have never agreed. She trusted him completely right now and in this moment. She knew he would protect her, and that he would never let anything happen to her as long as he could control it. And she was grateful for how he was being with her and with this drive. He started off slower to allow her to get more accustomed and more comfortable with how foreign this was. He seemed to sense when she was ready for more without asking or her telling him and began to accelerate their speed.

Haley was lost in her thoughts when she felt them slowing down and watched as he pulled off to the side of the country road and cutting off the engine. "What are you doing?" She questioned.

"Do you want to drive?"

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Do you want to?"

"I don't know." She said weighing it in her mind.

Nathan rolled his eyes as he carefully lifted himself off and over the motorcycle. "Scoot up. You're driving." He ordered motioning towards where he was previously sitting on the bike. He smiled in satisfaction as she did what he told her to and slid forward on the seat. He swung his leg over the bike taking a seat where she was previously sitting. He did a real quick tutorial about the motorcycle key parts including the throttle, clutch, brakes, and shift pedal. He continued to teach her how to start the engine before announcing she was ready. "Okay, you're free to release the clutch. Just do it slowly."

"Nathan, I'm not too sure about this."

"You're fine, Hales." He reassured softly. "I'm right here with you, and I will take over at any time. Just start out slowly. Now release the clutch."

Haley let go of the clutch too fast but Nathan quickly intervened placing his hand over hers. "Sorry," She mumbled. She heard him say it was okay, as they tried a different approach. He continued holding his hands over hers as they both released the clutch and soon they were driving along the country road.

Once he felt like she was comfortable, he let her take over completely also urging her to go a little bit faster as to which she did-hesitantly, but she trusted him and eventually began going at a greater speed. She felt the wind blowing in her hair, and she felt free. This was an experience she could never even imagine what it would feel like.

* * *

><p>"Oh my gosh, that was so amazing!" Haley exclaimed tossing her purse onto the table as Nathan closed the door to their apartment. "I don't think I've ever had that much fun before in my life."<p>

"I'm glad you had fun." He laughed.

She smiled turning towards him, "Gosh, it was such a rush. You are definitely not selling that thing. I still can't believe I did that."

"To be honest, I can't either."

"Thank you so much for that, Nathan!" She said rushing into his arms impulsively kissing him on the mouth surprising not only him but herself as well. Backing out of his embrace, "I'm sor...I didn't mean to do that. I don't even know...I'm sorry." She stammered flustered. Completely embarrassed, she turned to retreat to and hide out in her bedroom. But just as she turned, Nathan's hand grabbed her arm whipping her back around. She wanted to ask him what he was doing but couldn't as his lips claimed her own. Even though surprised, she sighed contently feeling herself melt into him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Nathan wrapped his own arms around her waist pulling her flush against him as she gasped lightly into his mouth. God, this felt incredible. She felt incredibly. He didn't even stop to analyze anything. He didn't want to. He wanted to stay in this moment. He wanted her. And by the light moans escaping from her lips against his, he could more than tell she wanted this and him as well. Deciding to up the anty, he ran his tongue along her lower lips showing her exactly what he wanted.

Haley felt the wet, hotness of his tongue gliding along her lower lip, and she quickly opened her mouth for him instantly feeling his tongue collide with hers. Bringing her left hand up and cupping his right cheek, she slanted her head opening her mouth wider for him as their tongues battled for dominance. She felt his grip on her hips tighten and before she knew what was happening, her whole body was being pushed backwards as she collided roughly into a wall behind her. She winced only slightly, because the pleasure he was invoking within her far outweighed any pain she felt.

Nathan brought his right hand up the center of her body finding the tie of her lacy, sheer top where he undid the knot allowing the garment to fall loosely at her sides. He didn't waste any time pushing the top completely off of her body leaving her in her white camisol. His fingertips danced along the exposed skin right above her jeans where her top had ridden up wrapping around until they met in the center of her back as he pushed his hands further up and under her top.

Haley felt like she was in a trance-a sweet, succulent trance that she never wanted to break out of. This all felt too good. She never once thought about the consequences. She never once thought that this isn't what they should be doing. On the contrary, all she thought about was how good and right it felt. She felt his hands travel back around towards her stomach gripping the hem of her camisol. She voluntarily lifted her arms allowing him to tear the piece of clothing off of her body.

Nathan stared at her standing there in a fuschia pink lacy bra as his eyes also traveled down her tanned, toned stomach seeing the small jewel piercing connected to her belly button. God, she was so sexy. His hand glided up her stomach as he cupped her bra-clad breast eliciting the sexiest sound to escape her lips. His fingers danced lightly along the top of her breast along the edge of her bra.

Haley cupped his face bringing him to meet her in another tantalizing kiss with his hand still playing with her breast. She was begining to feel slightly underdressed as she reached for the hem of his polo and quickly rid if from his body leaving his upper body completely naked. Her hands raked down his perfectly defined chest wrapping around his back pulling him closer into her so their chest were flush up against one another.

Nathan detached his lips from hers dipping lower into the crook of her neck where he planted kisses along her skin. He lightly bit her skin before running his tongue over the reddening area and sucking on the same patch of skin. After spending a considerable amount of time there, he moved even lower to her chest journeying further south nipping the tops of her breasts which were jetting out of her bra. He groaned feeling her hands raking in his hair holding him closer to her.

Things after that began to move faster as they each kicked off their shoes as well as shedding out of their jeans leaving Haley standing there in nothing but her lacy, pink bra and matching panties and Nathan standing there in nothing but his black boxers. Their speed had increased greatly. It was as if they knew if they stopped and paused for even a second, they would stop and actually analyze things.

Still braced up against the wall, Haley kissed Nathan passionately as his hands roamed all over her near naked form. She felt his hands traveling down her waist towards her backside where he cupped her ass in his hands tightly before lifting her from the ground as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

With his head buried in her neck kissing her skin, he began walking them towards her bedroom where he lowered them onto her bed. He quickly reached behind her unhooking her bra and tearing it from her body as his eyes feasted hungrily on her breasts. She truly was perfect. He dove down encasing her nipple in his mouth while his hand palmed and fingered her other one. He bit down gently before sucking on it.

"Nathan!" Haley moaned out feeling a kind of pleasure she had only dreamed of. She tightened her legs around his waist moaning again when she came into contact with his hard length. She could feel how wet and ready she was, and while it all felt so good, she also felt like she could bust. She rubbed herself intimately against him trying to alleviate any of the tight pressure she was feeling.

Nathan finally tore his lips from her breasts as he kissed his way down her stomach swirling his tongue around her belly button before moving even lower with his lips brushing against the top edge of her panties dipping even lower where he lightly kissed the appendage between her legs with just a thin piece of material covering. He heard the hitch in her voice, and he saw the way her stomach muscles tightened. He paused only for a second catching her gaze as his fingers clasped the sides of her panties and slowly pulled them down her body.

Haley laid there completely naked on her bed. She was surprised that she didn't feel an ounce of vulnerability. She saw the raw desire and want in Nathan's eyes, and it sparked something in her as well. Something that she hadn't felt in so long, and she wondered if she's ever actually felt it quite like this before. She felt empowered as he continued to stare at her naked form even sending her a couple words of appreciation. A hint of a smile graced her lips as she watched him tear his boxers from his body leaving him completely naked as well. She watched as he climbed back onto the bed and up her body until he was hovering right above her. They stared at one another before delving into another kiss. This kiss was slower than the other ones. In fact, all of their movements seemed to slow down.

Even now when Nathan grabbed onto his length placing it at her entrance, his movements were slow. He stared into her eyes as they shared a small smile at knowing what was coming next, and he pushed himself slowly, deeply inside of her. A low, gutteral groan fell from his lips as she moaned loudly. It's been so long since he's had sex, and this felt so incredible. She felt incredible. He stayed still for only a couple seconds until she bucked her hips slightly indicating that she wanted him to start moving, and he was more than happy to oblige.

Haley snapped her eyes shut as he started moving inside of her. She never knew it could feel this good. His thrusts were painfully slow like he was purposely trying to torture her, but she breathed a sigh of relief when he picked up the pace. Her moans grew louder and more frequent. She felt his hand gripping her waist tightly before changing their angle allowing him to go deeper inside of her.

The sounds coming from her mouth were enough to bring Nathan almost to his brink, but he held back. He wasn't ready to be done with her yet, and he needed to get her there, too. He knew she was close. He leaned forward kissing her neck which was damp with sweat, and he could taste the sweet, salty wetness as he continued to thrust roughly into her.

Haley's breathing was reaching frantic levels as she held onto his shoulders as tightly as she could which was difficult considering the sweat dripping from his body. She could feel the heat pulling in her body, and she tried to fight it off wanting to savor this just a little bit longer but couldn't. She came undone as her body began to convulse and blinding lights passed through her eyes. She tried grasping for breath as she came down from her high.

Haley coming undone was what triggered Nathan's orgasm, and in just three quick thrusts he was gone, too, experiencing the same mind-blowing pleasure that she had just experienced. He looked up and saw her staring at him-her eyes still filled with lust, and he had to kiss her. Swooping down, the two met in a sizzling kiss which lasted several minutes before air became too big of an issue and they broke apart resting their foreheads together as their bodies came down from their highs. Realizing he was still buried inside of her, he gently pulled out as they both hissed slightly at the sensation. Exhausted, he fell onto the mattress next to her.

Minutes passed as the two laid there with their eyes closed-her still on her back and him on his stomach. His arm was draped around her stomach as his body was pressed up against hers with his head resting comfortably on her shoulder. Nathan smiled against her skin as she hummed quietly-probably without even realizing she was doing it. No words were ever said between them as they laid there encased safely in one another's arms and drifted off to sleep.

**Okay, there it is. Please let me know what you think. And that was my first love scene I have ever written with the exception of that shower scene from Haley's dream so I'm not entirely confident about it. So please be gentle. LOL! And I should have another chapter up for you guys on Tuesday. And I am making that promise. I have probably about forty-five percent written, but I do have a timeline for what the chapter's going to entail so all I have to do is actually write some things and put it together. I am busy tomorrow, but I am making a promise that Tuesday there will be a new chapter up-not sure what time I will put it up (should be fairly early-afternoon), but it will be up. If it's not then feel free to say whatever horrible things you want about me. :)**

**And I have more Baley/Lathan flashbacks heading your way as well.**

**So anyway, let me know what you think, and I'll post again soon. I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day tomorrow or just day in general.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Back with another update as promised since it is Tuesday. I actually got this out to you quicker than I thought I would today. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and Memorial Day if that's something you celebrate. I had an amazing time with my family at the lakes. Yah for warm weather!**

**As always, thanks for the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to J. Caroline, naleyluv, LadyD, HBJHOTH23 (chapter 20), courtneylovejason, Stampiej, Ellie, Jrocca23, Othfan48, solo73, chase the memories, luvnit, Lynne, hannahhhjayne, thekellay, KaceyO, JamesLover23, rosepetal16, mocha27, GottaluvNaley, and NALeyton for taking the time to review. I have been so blown away by the responses I'm receiving for this story. Your words (big or small) are so encouraging, and I'm just in love with it all. :)**

**And I'm glad that you guys are liking that I'm taking this story in a different direction than the actual movie. I love reading stories where there's a movie or tv show or something that it's based off of, but I hate when it's practically an entire rip-off. I loved the concept of Life As We Know It, but I wanted to do my own thing with it, and I'm glad you guys are enjoying it as well.**

**This chapter may feel like more of a filler, and it kind of is, but there are a couple of key elements which will resurface in the next chapter. ;)**

**So anyway, here's the next chapter (it's not as long as the last). Happy reading!**

Nathan walked into the bedroom staring at the sight in front of him. There on the bed Haley lay-her head facing him as her hair fanned over the pillow so her side profile was displayed; the sheet covering her naked form resting on the center of her exposed back as the flesh right above her left knee down to her foot was poking out from under the sheet bent at a slight angle. She looked so beautiful in that moment. Walking forward and around to the other side of the bed, he shed out of his jeans which the button was already popped open leaving him naked as well and gently climbed in next to her wrapping his arms around her from the back. He felt her stirring as she was awakening from her peaceful slumber.

Turning around, her sleepy eyes met his more alert ones. "Hi." He greeted.

"Hi." She returned with a soft yet timid smile. Here in the daylight, she couldn't help but wonder _what happens now?._ Before she could open her mouth to say anything, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers softly. As he pulled back slightly, the two stared at one another. Not wasting a second longer, he dove back down devouring her mouth in a tantalizing kiss which would leave her breathless. With her eyes snapped shut, she tried catching her breath as his lips were now traveling down her neck. He left opened mouth kisses along her skin causing her to let out low moans of pleasure.

Nathan felt himself harden at the sounds she was making. Leaving her neck, he moved upward to kiss her lips once again. She seemed to take the lead this time as her hands gripped his cheeks, and it was she who thrusted her tongue into his mouth. Seeing and feeling her take control like this turned him on even more. He was just about to advance things further when he paused catching her gaze. Her big, beautiful brown eyes stared into his blue ones. She looked so innocent yet there was so much passion in her eyes. Passion for him. She smiled softly at him, and he gently pushed himself inside of her finally joining them.

Haley moaned as she felt Nathan completely in her. This felt so amazing. He felt so amazing. She felt so connected to him-not just sexually but emotionally. And she suddenly felt like there was nothing to say about the night before or even right now. The way he was touching her and caressing her and moving inside of her had her feeling like he was on the same page as she was.

She had never felt this way before. Even with Nick who she loved very much, it didn't feel like this. Maybe because with Nick, she knew what to expect with the exception of their first time. He was in fact the perfect boyfriend and who most girls dreamed of. And that was more than okay for her back then. But now...she liked how unexpected things were with Nathan. She liked how different they were but at the same time so very similar. She liked how last night wasn't expected or planned out-it happened. And just like her first time, she had absolutely no regrets. She wanted this, and she wanted him.

They both felt themselves on the brink of their orgasms. Haley clutched as tightly as she could to his slick back trying to get as close to him as she could but nothing seemed to work. Before she realized it, her body began to convulse as blinding lights shot across her closed eyes. Screaming out his name in pleasure her breathing ragged as she tried to catch it.

Nathan gripped Haley's hips tightly as he felt her body trembling underneath his. He took pleasure in watching her come undone. She looked so incredibly sexy like this which he came to realize last night. For years he fantasized she would, but now it was actually confirmed. It was the way she moaned his name that caused his own body began to convulse as he found his release. Burying his face in the crooke of her neck, he snapped his eyes shut as an explicit of appreciation fell from his lips.

Seconds passed and all that could be heard was their heavy breathing as they allowed their bodies to calm down from their highs. Nathan placed a shaky kiss against her wet neck before lifting off of her slightly and falling down onto the bed to her left side. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him as he once again rested the side of his head in the crook of her neck.

Haley said nothing as she lay in Nathan's warm, inviting embrace. Her body was still buzzing from their encounter, and she could barely think less talk about anything. She absent-mindedly began running her fingers back and forth along his arm.

And just like the night prior, the two closed their eyes and willed themselves to fall into a deep, peaceful slumber completely spent and completely satisfied.

* * *

><p>The pounding on the door had both Nathan and Haley stirring from their sleep. "I'll get it." He said groggily when he noticed Haley moving to get up. She mumbled out a barely audible 'thank you' as he climbed out of the bed and threw his jeans from the previous night onto his naked form while heading to the door. Just as he reached the dining room, another knock sounded, and he swung the door open instantly met with Keith, Karen, and Sophie.<p>

"Were you still sleeping?" Keith asked taking in his disheveled, shirtless appearance.

"Yeah. What time is it?" Nathan asked rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Almost two in the afternoon." Karen answered.

Nathan stepped aside to let them through the door and into the apartment. He smiled at Sophie as Karen handed him the little girl who had her arms stretched out reaching for him.

"Where's Haley?" Karen questioned.

"Sleeping." He answered distractedly playing with Sophie.

"I guess you two really are taking full advantage of Sophie being gone, huh?" Keith joked.

Nathan let out a strangled laugh at that. He felt so awkward at this moment-almost like he is about to get caught by his parents doing something wrong which didn't make any sense. He and Haley were adults and could do whatever they please, but he still felt uncomfortable.

"I'll take Sophie's things to her bedroom." Karen offered carrying some things towards the back bedroom. Once she set the items down, she headed out the door. Before continuing any further, she noticed Nathan's bedroom door open allowing her to see inside. The first thing that caught her attention was the bed which was completely made as if no one had slept in it. A knowing smile formed on her face as she walked back into the living room. "Well, maybe we should get out of your hair." She suggested arriving back in the living room.

"Don't be silly. You didn't drive all this way just to drop Sophie off and then leave. Stay. We can order something to eat or whatever. I'm starving. How about you guys?" Nathan asked.

"I'm hungry." Keith answered.

"Sure. I'm hungry as well." Karen conceded.

"Okay, what sounds good?" Nathan questioned.

"Anything is fi..."

Keith was interrupted by a door opening and another quiet, groggy voice. "Nathan, who was at the..." Haley paused in the doorway to her bedroom, "Oh...hi." She greeted laughing awkwardly. She started tugging down at the hem of the blue polo shirt which Nathan had worn the previous night.

"Hi, Haley." Karen greeted smiling as Keith let out a small cough obviously catching onto the current situation.

Nathan's eyes darted around the room trying to avoid eye contact with both Keith and Karen as Haley did the same while biting at her bottom lip.

"So...does pizza sound good to everyone else?" Karen asked slapping her hands together to diffuse the more than uncomfortable situation.

Thirty minutes later, the four of them were sitting in the living room. Keith, Karen, and Nathan, now wearing a plain grey t-shirt along with his jeans, were sitting on the couch with paper plates containing slices of pizza in their laps. Haley, who was now dressed in some jeans and her red Stanford sweartshirt, was sitting Indian style on the floor with Sophie in her lap as they shared a piece of pizza. Haley laughed as she watched Sophie reaching for the pizza tearing off a single piece of pepperoni and shoving it into her mouth. "Is that good, sweetie?" She asked as the little girl's eyebrows arched up and her eyes went wide.

"I guess that's a yes." Karen laughed.

Haley looked up and immediately noticed Nathan staring at her. She cut her eyes away from him quickly and back down to watch Sophie. With Keith and Karen sitting in here with them, she felt really uncomfortable. She felt as if every look she shared with Nathan or threw his way was being analyzed by them. She realized Keith and Karen obviously knew what had happened between the two of them last night. Neither Keith nor Karen were naive, and there was enough tension and awkwardness in the room that any moron could catch on. Luckily nobody had mentioned anything. Obviously, she and Nathan had to talk about what happened the night before along with what happens now, but not right now and not with Sophie's grandparents sitting in the room with them. She shook her head ridding those thoughts from her mind. She couldn't think about that stuff right now.

"The team's looking pretty good this season, Nate. We caught bits and pieces of the Atlanta game on Friday night." Keith said.

"You did?" Nathan questioned.

"Yeah. Actually, we were flipping through the channels when we landed on the game and Sophie here..." Keith began gesturing towards the little girl. "She began to squeal all excitedly and started clapping her hands. And she even went more crazy when a shot of the two of you popped up on the screen."

Haley almost started crying right then and there when Keith told them that. It made her heart race, and she actually placed her hand over her chest as she felt her rapidly beating heart. She and Nathan missed her terribly while she was gone. Of course it was good for them to get a whole weekend away from her, but they still missed her. And she loved hearing how excited Sophie was at just simply seeing them on television. She looked up catching Nathan's gaze, and this time she sent a soft smile his way as he returned the gesture.

"Haley, do you need any help with planning Sophie's birthday party?" Karen asked taking a sip of her iced tea.

"I'd love to have your help. Nathan and I have a lot of stuff planned, but it would be nice to have an extra set of hands to help with everything." Haley answered.

"Where are you having the party at?" The older brunette asked.

"Actually, we haven't told anyone yet, but we are thinking of staying in Tree Hill for the summer or maybe until the new season starts." Haley revealed.

"Really?" Karen questioned with great enthusiasm.

"Yeah. We've been looking at rental properties along the beach, and we found a couple that we're going to go look at. And if we decide on one then we'll just have the party there."

"This is wonderful news!" Karen exclaimed. She was thrilled at the possibility of Nathan, Haley, and Sophie moving back to Tree Hill even if it was just for the summer. While she completely supported their moving to Charlotte, she and Keith still missed them terribly. It was going to be so nice to have them back home again.

"I also think staying in Tree Hill for a few months would be good for my mom." Nathan spoke up surprising the three other adults. "I just figured being close to her and giving her an added support system would help keep her motivated to stay sober. I'm worried that my dad is going to somehow get his hooks into her again, and maybe with us and Sophie being there...well, maybe I can help prevent that."

"Wow. I'm really proud of you, Nathan." Keith stated patting the younger man on the back.

Haley smiled at him. She was proud of him, too. So much in this moment and just in general. He was really stepping up in this situation surrounding his mother, and she was so glad he was getting so involved in it.

"Dan's still living at the beach house, right?" Karen questioned.

"Yeah, for now. Hopefully, it stays that way. She does not need his type of influence in her life. I know how weak my mother is. And her biggest weaknesses are alcohol and Dan. They both seem to fuel the other which turns into a repetative cycle. So I'm hoping with a bigger, positive support system she will be able to beat this completely."

"Yes. That is something we are all hoping for." Karen said. "I was thinking of asking her to help me out at the cafe when she gets out of rehab. I think she'll need to keep busy and not be so held up in that big, empty house all by herself. She just needs to learn how to get back on her feet and learn how to be in charge of her own life once again."

"Well, we are all there for her. And for you, Nathan." Haley stated smiling reassuringly at him.

An hour later, Haley was lounging on her back against the couch thrusting Sophie up and down in the air above her as the little girl giggled. Keith and Karen had left about half an hour ago in hopes of getting back to Tree Hill before it was too dark outside. Nathan had retreated to the bathroom to take a shower as she played with Sophie revelling in having her back home with them again. It was just another five minutes when she heard the door to the bathroom opening, and she noticed Nathan walking into the living room dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a long-sleeved white t-shirt with his hair still damp from the water. God, why did he look so good? She mentally cursed herself for thinking that. Now was definitely not the time, and besides that, she knew they still had a lot to talk about.

"Hey, sweetie." Nathan greeted approaching the couch and crouching down so he was eye level with Sophie. He kissed her on the cheek before turning his attention to Haley who was looking up at him. He wanted to chuckle at the shy, timid expression on her face. "And hi to you." He said quietly as he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Haley lay there completely still as she felt his lips on hers. It was a sweet kiss, and he didn't press for anything more than simple and chaste. And the way he did it so casually was surprising and had completely caught her off-guard. Her eyes remained closed for seconds after he broke their contact, and when she opened her eyes he was staring at her so lovingly. "Hi." She managed to choke out.

"Did you want to go take a shower? I'll watch Sophie." He asked.

All Haley could do was nod as she handed Sophie over to him. He stood up from his crouching position as she moved herself into a sitting position on the couch. His hands arched out in front of her, and she placed her hands in his allowing him to help pull her up. Once she was up, their chests were practically touching as their hands still held onto one another. "I should..." She said gesturing towards her bedroom. He nodded slowly at her, and there was also a hint of a smirk on his face causing her to blush. She quickly slipped her hand from out of his grasp and headed towards her bedroom closing the door behind her.

Haley stared at her bed and couldn't help but flashback to moments from both the night before as well as this morning. She felt her whole body heat up as she remembered the way Nathan moved above her, the way he kissed her and touched her, and the way he felt inside of her. She still couldn't get over how amazing it all had been. It was so unexpected and unplanned and now, even with all of the uncertainty of what happens now, she has no regrets. She wanted everything that happened, and she wanted him. And if she could go back and do it all again, she wouldn't change a thing.

Taking a few more minutes to bask in the very recent memories, she finally got her body under control and dug through her dresser drawers for some pajamas settling on a pair of mustard yellow capri sweatpants with the number two in green lettering stiched on the upper left thigh and a green t-shirt before rushing into the bathroom for a shower-possibly a cold one if she continued to have fantasies about Nathan.

* * *

><p>Pushing the stroller along the open sidewalk, Haley and Quinn walked through the busy metropolitan area. It was a beautiful day today with a perfectly clear sky and the sun shining. The increased humidity did make for a slightly more uncomfortable feeling, though. Haley could feel the small layer of sweat on her back under her pale green tank top. Even her shorts felt like they were suction-cupped to her body. She did not realize how humid it truly was earlier considering they were first in the car and then walking around in the air conditioned mall, but now walking outside she felt it. "I think we should go inside and eat. I'm hot, and this heat can't be good for Sophie." She suggested as they arrived at their destination.<p>

"You will get no arguments from me as I was just going to suggest that myself." Quinn stated as she opened the door holding it wide open for Haley to walk in with the stroller.

The Terrace Cafe was relatively busy. It was just past one o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday which meant a lot of people who worked downtown were probably out for lunch before returning back to their jobs. As Quinn waited in the long line, Haley took Sophie to a table in one of the corners towards the back of the cafe purposely choosing a seat away from the window unlike usual. The purpose of coming inside on an uncomfortably, humid day like today was to actually avoid the sun. Pulling Sophie from the seat inside the stroller, she set her on her lap. The poor girl's face was slightly redder than usual indicating that the heat was affecting her the same.

Finally after close to ten minutes later, Quinn arrived at their table carrying a tray filled with two glasses of iced water, two turkey salads, and two bowls of fresh mixed fruit. "Oh my gosh, I never thought I was going to get out of that line." She complained.

"No kidding." Haley stated as she placed a clear straw into the clear glass bringing it over to Sophie so the little girl could take a sip of the nice refreshing water before she, herself, took a satisfying drink.

Quinn unrolled her utensils from inside of her napkin as she grabbed her fork immediately plunging it into a piece of cantolope before shoving it into her mouth as she savored its sweet taste. "So how have you been doing these days, Hales?"

Haley felt her cheeks blush at the question. How has she been doing these days? Great, satisfied, pleasured...she could probably list hundreds of adjectives to describe how she's been doing these days. But the one that kept haunting her the most was confused. "Can I be completely honest with you about something?"

"Of course."

"And will you promise not to judge me or lecture me or anything but just listen and hear me out first?" She added as Quinn nodded. She took a deep breath before continuing, "Nathan and I slept together."

"Define slept with." Quinn stated as Haley sent her a pointed look as she nodded her head a few times in understanding. Of course she more than realized what Haley had meant, but she just wanted to make sure. Several questions began swarming in her mind, but she promised Haley she would wait and listen so she sent her an encouraging look to continue.

"It started this past weekend. Saturday night we went out to dinner just the two of us since Sophie was away for the weekend; he took me on a motorcycle ride and taught me how to drive it even; then, when we got home it just...it happened. Neither of us even thought about anything. One second I had kissed him not even realizing what I was doing and then the next second our clothes were coming off. Then, we woke up the next morning and had sex again. Nothing else has actually happened since, but there has been a few-okay, a lot-of stolen kisses. Chaste stolen kisses." Haley explained.

Quinn waited a couple seconds to see if Haley was ready for her to throw in her two cents, "Okay, well, that's...that's something."

"Quinn." Haley sighed.

The blonde let out a small laugh, "I'm sorry, Haley, but this is surprising. I wasn't expecting you to say that. Like at all."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly expecting any of this to happen."

"Is this a good thing?" Quinn asked cautiously.

"I don't know." Haley answered as Quinn urged her to explain. "It feels really, really good. I've never experienced anything like what I'm experiencing with Nathan. He certainly knows what he's doing." She said as she felt her body heat up just thinking about it.

"But?" Quinn prodded snapping her back to reality.

"But...I'm so confused. We haven't talked about anything. We haven't talked about what this means. We haven't talked about where we go from here. We haven't talked about how this will affect our relationship not to mention how it's going to affect Sophie. We haven't talked about anything. I don't know what's going on in his mind. I just don't know."

"Maybe you should talk to him about everything."

"I've tried. I always tell myself I'm going to bring it up and just when I get the courage to do so, he starts..."

"Making his move." Quinn finishes smirking.

"Basically, yeah. And like the little easy hussy that I am..." Haley began as Quinn started laughing. "I just melt into him as I once again push it all out of my mind. And I also can't help but wonder if he does it on purpose. Like maybe he knows where I'm about to take the conversation, and he's using anything to stop me. That makes me nervous, because it makes me feel like he just wants to avoid it all together. And we can't. I can't. I need to know what's going on here between us."

"What do you want there to be between you guys?"

Haley paused for a moment taking in Quinn's question. She knew what she wanted, and it's something she has never voiced. The thought of actually admitting it out loud had her terrified. She was having a difficult time just admitting to herself. But she couldn't forget it anymore. "Everything." Haley admitted.

"So the problem is just what? I mean is it simply because you don't know how to talk to Nathan about it? Or is it because you don't know if he feels the same way?"

"Both. I'm not someone who is used to admitting my feelings-at least when it comes to guys and sex and stuff. I'm a girl who doesn't have sex unless she's in love. Nathan was the second person I've ever had sex with and..."

"Are you in love with him?" Quinn interrupted.

Haley once again paused taking a deep breath, "Yes. I have been in love once before, and it was true and real. It wasn't one of those 'I thought I was in love but wasn't' kinds of instances. I really loved him with my whole heart, but what I am feeling for Nathan right now is so much stronger. There are so many things I hate about him that drive me up the wall, but I love them at the same time. I love that he doesn't open up easily but he has with me. I love that he challenges me. He has this way of getting me to try new things that I would never do. I love how protective he is over me and Sophie. I love how kind and considerate he is when he doesn't even know it. I love how tentative he has been with me when we've made love. I love how passionate he is about basketball and his career. I love watching him with Sophie. I just...I love him."

"Wow. I knew there was something more to the two of you than either of you were willing to admit." Quinn stated with a smirk.

Haley chuckled lightly before all of her doubts surfaced again.

Quinn noticed this and placed a comforting hand on Haley's hand, "Haley, I am not an expert, and I certainly don't know what is running through Nathan's mind, but I definitely think he's feeling something as well. Like I've said before, I've seen a change in him. And I agree that Sophie probably plays a huge role in that, but I don't think you can count yourself out. I see the way he looks at you. And the reason why I notice is because I've never seen him look at anyone the way he does you. There's something there. How deep-I can't answer that. But I know it's there, and my own personal feeling is that it's just as strong as what you are feeling for him."

"I don't know. Sometimes I feel that, too, but then I remember who Nathan is and..."

"Was." Quinn quickly interjected. "You've got to let go of who Nathan used to be, Haley. He is not that person anymore. I know it, and you know it, too. You're just using that as an excuse. And I understand that. I understand why, because it's the easiest way of protecting yourself. I get it. But you've just gotta stop." She noticed the look on Haley's face and how she turned her eyes down towards Sophie who was still sitting in her lap. "Haley, I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, no." Haley interrupted. "Don't apologize. I wanted your honest response to all of this. That's why I came to you and asked you about all of this. And I can admit that you're right. I just...I've known Nathan for awhile. I knew how he was when we first met, and I've known him throughout the years after. But I feel like I'm also just getting to know Nathan-the real Nathan. The one he doesn't really show anyone. And I have seen a change and growth in him, and I know it's not fair of me to continually use his past against him. It's just hard to forget it at times."

"Why?"

"I guess I feel threatened in a way." Haley said as Quinn gave her a look indicating her confusion. "I am a very insecure person, and I can admit that. I always have been. If Nathan were to feel something like I feel for him I worry that I may not be enough down the road. When you compare the girls he usually dates-well, sleeps with-to me...I mean, I'm just plain, dull, naive Haley. I'm not as sexually experienced as those girls. I'm not as confidant. I'm not...I'm just not much compared to them."

"Maybe not..." Quinn began.

Haley felt tears invading her eyes. She had her doubts, but she was hoping for something a little more reassuring from the girl who was quickly becoming a close friend of hers sitting across from her.

"Maybe you're more." Quinn finished capturing Haley's attention. "You can't compare yourself to those girls, Haley. Those girls are just a...a defiance and a denial to wanting the real thing. Most guys who sleep around are just hiding behind what they really want. They're afraid of opening themselves up to the real thing, because like us girls, they're just as afraid of rejection and heartache. And I think that's Nathan. I think he wants the real thing, and I think he wants it with you but the fear is holding himself back from admitting it and taking that chance. And it may be out of your comfort zone, but maybe you should be the one who makes that first move." She suggested.

"I don't know if I can." Haley admitted.

"Well, then start out slow. Don't just come out and say 'Hey, Nathan, guess what, I love you'." Quinn said causing Haley to laugh. "But maybe just ask him how he's feeling about what happened between you guys. Ask him if it's just physical between the two of you or if there's something more building. Just start out simple." She saw the many conflicting emotions running through Haley's face. "I'm not saying you should do any of this tonight, but I do think you should do something relatively soon. This situation can't be good for either of you or for Sophie. I care about all of you guys, and I don't want to see any of you hurt."

"I know. Thank you for that, Quinn. And thank you for talking to me about this. I can't say it enough but it's so nice to have someone to talk to. A girl someone to talk to."

"Hey, it's no problem. Us girls need to stick together." Quinn smiled before glancing down at Sophie, "Isn't that right, Sophie. We have to stick together." She stated in a baby-like voice. "Besides, I kind of like having another girlfriend in town to talk to as well."

"Well, now that we've delved right into my problems turning this into a way too deep conversation, what about you? Your anniversary is coming up, isn't it?" Haley questioned as Quinn nodded. "Do you and David have any plans?"

"Actually, yes. We've talked about going on a vacation somewhere. I've always wanted to go to St Lucia and have been looking at prices for flights and villas and all of that good stuff. I found this resort called Jade Mountain and according to several sites I've researched, this resort is known as the most romantic resort in St Lucia. Oh my gosh, Haley, it looks absolutely gorgeous from the pictures. And here's one of the best aspects...are you ready for this?" Quinn asked all giddy.

Haley chuckled at the girl's flamboyant mannerisms and nodded her head.

"The resort is techno-free. There are no telephones, radios, or televisions. There is internet access available in the reception area and upon request, we could have internet accest be available in our room, but I don't plan to let David in on that little fact. He is such a workaholic, and I love him for that, but this is our anniversary. I want it to be just the two of us for the whole vacation, and I don't want any outside distractions." Quinn explained.

"I completely understand. And I don't blame you for hiding that fact from him. I would probably do the same thing." Haley said winking at her friend. "I think you've found your anniversary destination. It sounds beautiful and insanely relaxing."

"I think so, too." Quinn agreed.

* * *

><p>Haley quietly closed the door to Sophie's bedroom and walked into the living room. Looking at all of the toys scattered along the carpet, she sighed before sinking down onto her knees and picking up all of the items and tossing them into the basket next to the television stand. Satisfied that the living room was cleaned to her liking, she moved onto the kitchen next starting with the dishes soaking in the sink from dinner. She heard the door opening and glanced at the clock. It was just slightly passed ten o'clock, and she heard Nathan's feet shuffling into the kitchen. "Hey." She greeted without looking away from the sink. "How was the game?"<p>

"Not too great. We lost." He answered.

She barely had time to process the fact that he had saddled up behind her wrapping his arms around her waist. She closed her eyes as he dropped a light kiss on her exposed neck. Disappointment filled her when he detached himself from her, though, hearing him opening the refrigerator door. "I made a plate for you. All you have to do is heat it up. I figured you would probably be hungry. I didn't know if you ate anything at the game or even after."

"I'm starving. Thanks, Hales." He said in appreciation pulling out the foil covered glass plate before plopping it into the microwave oven.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Nathan ate at the breakfast table as Haley finished cleaning the kitchen. He watched her with rapt fascination as she constantly moved from one spot to another cleaning away. He didn't know why, but he loved watching her when she got this way. And he laughed at her slightly disheveled appearance. Her hair was tossed up in her infamous messy bun, and she had not an ounce of makeup on her face. She had on a pair of deep purple cotton shorts and a black tank top. "Are you done?" Nathan looked up registering that she was talking to him. He nodded handing her his empty plate. He stood up and followed her into the kitchen. "That was amazing, Hales."

"Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Well, I'm going to go take a real quick shower." He stated kissing her one more time on her cheek before disappearing out of the kitchen.

Haley smiled as she watched his retreating form. Her conversation with Quinn from earlier popped into her mind, and she let out a sigh. She had to talk to Nathan tonight about everything. She couldn't keep putting this off. She knew where she stood in their relationship, but she needed to know where he stood.

Fifteen minutes later, Haley was resting comfortably along the couch watching something on television. She wasn't really sure what it was, and she wasn't really paying that close of attention to whatever it was anyway. She heard the bathroom door open causing her to turn her head in that direction which was a big mistake. There Nathan walked out in nothing but a pair of grey, black, and white plaid pajamas. No shirt-nothing else. His hair was still damp, and she could also see some small drops of water on his chest. _God, is he trying to torture me? Why did he have to have such an amazing body? Why did he have to have such an amazingly handsome face?_ Her eyes ran down his toned abs and found herself blushing as memories of what it felt like to run her fingers down them popped into her head. This was so not good-not right now. Not when they needed to talk. She turned away trying her best not to look back in his direction.

Nathan smirked as he plopped down on the couch next to Haley. He noticed her checking him out, and he definitely knew what that blush on her face had her thinking about. Heck, he was thinking about those same things especially with her laying there wearing those tiny shorts displaying her amazing legs. He remembered what it felt like to have them wrapped tightly around his waist. He remembered it all. How could he forget? He's found himself getting ridiculously turned on throughout the week. God, he wanted her again.

Haley jumped slightly when she felt Nathan's bare hand land on her ankles. Looking at him, he motioned for her to lay on her back which she readily obliged to. After she was situated, he placed her legs in his lap and began massaging her feet. She smiled at him in gratitude and felt her whole body relax.

Nathan felt all of his resolve slipping away. Only five minutes had passed, and he could feel his body reacting to her. The small, barely inaudible moans were driving him insane. They were not helping his body at all. Before even realizing what he was doing, his hands began to inch slowly up her legs-her smooth, silky legs-dancing along her bare skin feeling her tense slightly underneath.

Haley was trying to keep herself under control. She couldn't let him distract her. They needed to talk. She needed to talk to him. It was so hard, though. It was as if they had both awakened something inside of each other and couldn't control themselves anymore. But they had to. "Nathan." She said. She wanted his name to come out in a more stern, 'we need to talk' type of tone, but instead it came out more like a low, moan.

"Yes." Nathan mumbled as he was now inching his entire body along the length of hers. Laying above her neck, he dipped lower and began planting kisses along her skin. He smirked when she inhaled a deep breath and brought her hands to rake through his hair which felt so good.

Haley fought an inner battle-her head was screaming at her to stop and talk before advancing even further, but her body was screaming not to. Her body was throbbing for him. Every little touch, every little kiss had her wanting more. They didn't have to talk about anything tonight. _What's one more night, right?_ She argued with herself. That's when she felt his tongue lick a small path along her neck and in the end, her body won as she cupped his face in her hands bringing him up to meet her in a delicious kiss.

Nathan let out a moan as their tongues collided in a frantic kiss battling for dominance in which neither seemed to be winning at the moment. Without breaking contact, he used his hands to push himself further up and to the side a little so he could lay comfortably next to her without laying completely on top of her. His right hand brushed her cheek as he slanted his head to be granted better access as his tongue explored the crevices of her mouth. He about lost it completely when he felt Haley's wrap her left leg around his waist as she began to run her bare feet up and down his covered calf while also running her hands up and down his naked back.

For the next several minutes, the two just laid there kissing one another passionately and doing some heavy petting. Neither was pushing for more, but they both knew where this was heading. They were ridiculously turned on to the point of no turning back, and it would take something extremely important for them to stop what they were doing.

Haley had effectively pushed any previous thoughts out of her mind simply relishing in being wrapped up in Nathan's embrace. They didn't need to talk about anything right now. This was something new and exciting, and there was no need to rush into 'the talk' so quickly. There was always tomorrow. Besides, the way he was touching her and kissing her had her once again feeling as if he was on the same page as she was. Why ruin that feeling? She wanted to bask in this as long as she could.

**There you go. Please let me know what you guys think. I know both Nathan and Haley are annoyingly frustrating (I agree), but more drama is along the horizon which begins in the next chapter. I will warn you that it might not be a too happy one, but it's all part of my plan as a part of their journey. I feel like they both have so many issues within themselves that need to get resolved before they can fully commit to one another. But please bare with me as I will try to make it worth it in the end. So please, let me know what you think, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story as much as I continue writing it.**

**And I know I said more Baley/Lathan flashbacks are coming, and they are so if that's something you're looking forward to then rest assured that they are heading your way. And I do plan on doing an epilogue for this story, but I have kind of already figured it into the thirty chapters I already had planned. BUT how I have everything mapped out, the last couple of chapters are going to be pretty LONG. ;)**

**I hope to have an update for you guys soon. Maybe Thursday? Maybe Friday? No later than those days, though, I promise. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so I probably won't get around to doing too much writing. And I'll be completely honest...while I know what this next chapter is going to entail, I haven't really written anything for it yet so I'm kind of going into it "blind" so to speak. LOL! Well, anyway, I hope to have another chapter up for you guys soon. :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Back with another update! So I just thought I'd share the good news with you guys. My husband and I had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, and we found out we're having a BOY! My husband is so thrilled. He would have been perfectly happy with either, but he did really want a boy first. Now I have to think of some boy names, because I've only been thinking about girl names. I really thought it was going to be a girl. LOL! But we are both overjoyed. I just wanted to share that with you guys. :)**

**As always, thank you for the story alerts I have and continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to LadyD, rosepetal16, thekellay, luvnit, kutebloo, Othfan48, Steffsche, courtneylovejason, JamesLover23, and chase the memories for taking the time to review. It's always so lovely to hear your thoughts.**

**Warning: I kind of sort of stole a Leyton moment for Brucas in this chapter. I'm sorry. Please don't hate me. I'm actually definitely more of a Leyton fan than a Brucas fan so I didn't necessarily "enjoy" writing it, but I couldn't help it. LOL! I just wanted to get that warning out there if you care. ;)**

**Since I alluded to the fact that this wouldn't necessarily be a happy Naley chapter, I made it a little bit longer trying to give some happy moments to hopefully outweigh the bad. :) I'm still not too sure about this chapter. I didn't have a real clear vision when I started writing it so I was kind of winging it in terms of the dialogue and stuff.**

**Not much else to say so let's just get to reading. :)**

The faint sounds of movement sounded through the baby monitor sitting on the nightstand to the left of the bed caused Haley to stir awake. "Nathan." She called out groggily only to receive no answer. "Nathan." She repeated.

"Hmm?" He groaned into the pillow.

"Sophie's up."

"She's just moving around. She'll go back to sleep." He said as he draped his right arm across her chest pulling her closer into him. He rested his face on her shoulder, "Shh…she goes back to sleep; we go back to sleep. And we're all happy." A few seconds went by when they heard a bouncing noise as well as the springs from the mattress sounding repetitively. "What is she doing?"

"She does this new thing in the morning when she wakes up now. She likes to hold onto the front of the crib and jump up and down." Haley mumbled.

"Why?"

"I don't know-probably just to bounce. I'm surprised you haven't heard her before." She stated feeling him saddle further into her burying his face into the crook of her neck. "Nathan, can you go get her?"

"No."

"Please. I'm so tired." She pleaded.

"So am I." He countered.

"Do I need to remind you that you're leaving tonight for California for the whole weekend while I'll be here all alone with Sophie? Besides, I know you want to spend some quality time with her before you leave for the next two days."

Nathan smiled against her neck, "You're good." He didn't have to look up at her to know that she was smirking. He dropped a series of kisses along her jaw line eliciting a quiet moan from her. "I wish you guys could come with me." He said between kisses.

"I know. I do, too, but we can't. Sophie has her doctor's appointment, and one of us has to be here to sign the lease for the condo in Tree Hill."

"I know. I'm just going to miss you." He declared as his kisses became a little more forceful. "You know what I'm thinking…" He began waiting for her to respond which she did, "I am thinking...you, me, and some good old fashioned phone sex engagement tonight."

Haley felt her face heat up as she let out a giggle, "Oh, really?"

"Really."

"I guess you'll just have to call later tonight after Sophie is asleep to find out if I'm up for it or not." She suggested 'coyly' even though she knew there was no way they were going to be doing that.

"I'll do that. And I am definitely thinking I need something to hold me over until then." He smirked before leaning down to kiss her. Just as their lips touched, Sophie began 'talking'. She still hasn't said any words yet, but she was beginning to become slightly clearer. The two of them stopped what they were doing and just laid there listening to her. After a couple of minutes, Nathan dropped one final kiss on her neck as he pushed himself up from the mattress. "I guess I should go get her." He said climbing out of the bed.

Haley watched Nathan stand up and stretch his arms above his head. He was standing there in nothing but a pair of boxers. She watched as his stretching was causing his toned muscles to flex tightly, and she was more than enjoying the view. She giggled as he turned and winked at her before leaving _their_ bedroom. Since that night they slept together for the third time, Nathan has been sleeping in her bed. They've only had sex two other times, but they would literally sleep together every night. He was the one who kept initiating it, and now it has become so normal that neither of them have really thought anything of it.

Haley loved sleeping in Nathan's arms every night. The way his arms wrapped so protectively around her and the way he held her so closely had her heart fluttering every night. She looked forward to it. She was not, however, looking forward to this weekend-two whole nights without him sleeping next to her and holding her. Through the monitor, Haley listened as Nathan walked into Sophie's bedroom greeting the little girl 'good morning'. She snuggled into the pillow Nathan had slept on the night prior which still smelled like him and pulled the blanket further up her body as she continued to listen to the two of them. She couldn't help but smile as she reached over to turn the monitor off before she closed her eyes willing herself to fall asleep once again.

In Sophie's bedroom, Nathan had just finished changing Sophie's diaper, and he was now working on getting her dressed in a pair of plaid shorts different shades of pink and a white top with a plaid strip along each hem matching the colors on the shorts. "Are you hungry, Soph? Huh? Are you hungry?" He asked blowing raspberries on her exposed tummy causing her to giggle profusely and uncontrollably.

Five minutes later, Sophie was sitting in her high chair drinking some milk from her small plastic Sippy cup as Nathan busily prepared them some breakfast complete with scrambled eggs, toast, and cut up pieces of sausages.

Nathan was dropping some food onto Sophie's plate when he heard her banging her cup against the table of her chair. "Soph, stop. I'll be there in just a minute." She ignored him and continued with what she was doing. He took a deep breath thankful that he had finally finished and carried the plate full of food over to her setting it down on the table. "There you go. Breakfast time. Eat up, sweetie." He ordered handing her a plastic fork which she immediately took and began eating. Nathan laughed as he watched her before grabbing his own plate and joining her at the table to enjoy his own breakfast. "You know, Soph, your daddy and I used to always take you out for breakfast on the mornings when I was in town. It became our little tradition. Can you keep a secret and promise not to tell Haley, because I don't think she'd be too thrilled?" He asked rhetorically as he mock waited for her to agree. "I knew I could count on you, beautiful. Well, you were quite the chick magnet. Girls would see us-me in particular-and just flock to us. And since your daddy was married, guess who got all the girls? That's right. I did. You were my own personal little wing woman. I still remember the very first time we started our morning rituals."

_Nathan held open the door to the cafe as Lucas, carrying the car seat, walked in. Due to the door's chime, Karen heard them coming in, and she glanced up sending them a smile of acknowledgement. "It's pretty busy in here this morning." Nathan commented as the two brothers searched around for an open spot-any open spot._

_"There's one in the very back corner over there." Lucas pointed out as they made their way over to it taking a seat._

_"So what's Brooke up to this morning with the two of you gone? She's not back to work yet, is she?" Nathan asked opening up his menu. He already knew what he wanted since he's been coming in pretty regularly since his first encounter with Haley their sophomore year of high school, but it was more out of habit to just glance through the menu regardless._

_"No, she's still got a couple more months of maternity leave before she actually returns to work. Of course that doesn't stop her from taking conference calls from home all of the time." Lucas stated with a deep chuckle. "But today...well, I know she plans on sleeping in."_

_"Hence the reason why she was still in bed when I got there." Nathan added laughing._

_Lucas nodded, "Yup. She said something about trying to catch Haley over at the hospital on her lunch break. And then I don't really know what she has planned. I think the girls were talking about getting together and going out for dinner and to see a movie."_

_"Sounds fun." Nathan deadpanned just as a petite much younger blonde arrived at their table._

_"I am so sorry about your wait. Can I get you guys something to drink?" She asked pulling out her menu pad. They could tell how frazzled she was based on her quick talking tone and her mannerisms._

_"I'll have a glass of orange juice." Nathan ordered and watched as she scribbled onto the paper._

_"And for you?" She asked Lucas._

_"The same. And I think we are also ready to order." He said looking over to Nathan who nodded in agreement. They told the girl what they wanted to eat as she quickly wrote it down before hurrying off. "They really must be busy." Lucas stated as he set to work taking Sophie out of her car seat and resting her comfortably in his arms. "So how long are you in town?"_

_"Just until Monday. There might be some conflicting contract issues with a couple of players so I need to get back to Charlotte to try to rectify that situation before it gets out of hand." Nathan answered right before their waitress returned with their drinks. "How's fatherhood treating you?"_

_"Great. Tiring but great."_

_"Yeah, you look tired." Nathan playfully jabbed._

_Twenty minutes later, Karen was approaching their table, "How are my boys?"_

_"We are fi..."_

_"And how's my beautiful grandbaby." Karen said interrupting Lucas as the two boys shared a look of amusement. "I can't believe how big she's getting. She can't possibly be twenty-seven days old already." She gently took Sophie out of Lucas' arms cradling the little girl in her own arms as she swayed back and forth. "Who's the prettiest baby? You are. Yes, you are." She continued gushing in a baby voice._

_After another five minutes passed them by, she handed Sophie over to Nathan. "Sorry boys but duty calls. I just wanted to come see the most beautiful baby in the whole world." She said kissing Sophie on the cheek then doing the same to Lucas before rushing away from the table and back to the counter._

_"You've got one crazy grandma there, Sophie. Heck, you've got a couple of crazy families. You don't really have a chance at being normal, do you?" Nathan joked._

_"Nate, do you think you're ever going to be ready to have kids?" Lucas questioned._

_"Where the hel...heck did that come from?" Nathan asked._

_"Just wondering. You're really good with Sophie. You seem to have this natural instinct with her, and I think you'd make an excellent father. I was just wondering if you've ever actually given any thought to having kids." Lucas explained._

_"Maybe someday but right now...nah. I like being the cool, fun uncle. And I can't wait till she gets bigger so I can teach her everything that will drive her mom and dad insane. Right, Soph?" Nathan said._

_Lucas shook his head and laughed as he watched his brother holding his daughter. It was amazing how being around Sophie turned Nathan into such a softy. And he of course meant that in a good way. Nathan and Sophie, much like Haley and Sophie, clicked instantly. They each had this instant connection to one another, and both Lucas and Brooke noticed it and were incredibly grateful for it. "Brooke and I were talking about coming up to visit you in Charlotte once the new season starts again."_

_"Really?" Nathan questioned as Lucas nodded in confirmation. "That would be awesome. I would love having you guys there. You could come to one of our home games."_

_"Well, it's funny that you mentioned that. I noticed you were playing the Knicks at home, and you know I've always been a fan of that team." Lucas hinted._

_"I knew you were just using me. That hurts, Luke." Nathan mock pouted placing his hand over his heart while glancing down at the little girl in his arms. "You see what I have to put up with Sophie. Your daddy's a scam artist who is only using me for my connections."_

_Lucas laughed at his brother's antics. The door chimed causing him to instinctively look up, and he noticed a girl, maybe early twenties walking into the cafe. She didn't look familiar to him. She was pretty, and she had blonde hair-not bleach blonde but natural blonde. Shrugging, he turned back to Nathan who was still completely enthralled in Sophie. The guys made more meaningless small talk for several minutes until a voice interrupted them._

_"Oh, she is adorable!"_

_Lucas turned and saw the girl he had noticed walking into the cafe earlier. He glanced over and laughed at the look on Nathan's face. His eyes were pretty much glued to the good looking girl standing next to their table._

_"What is her name?"_

_"Sophie." Nathan readily answered._

_"Aww that is such a pretty name. How old is she?"_

_"Almost a month old."_

_"Wow. She is definitely a newborn. Gosh, she really is so precious." The girl said continuing to fawn all over Sophie. "And she has brown hair just like her daddy." She stated smiling at Nathan._

_"Actually," Lucas spoke up, "Sophie's my daughter."_

_"Oh, I'm sorry."_

_"It's okay. She gets her looks from her mother not me. Thank goodness." Lucas said._

_"Are you new in town? I don't think we've ever met before." Nathan asked as Lucas rolled his eyes._

_"I'm only visiting my grandma who lives here for a couple of weeks. I'm Kaitlin." She introduced herself stretching out her hand._

_Nathan quickly and willingly shook the girl's hand, "Hi, I'm Nathan. This is my brother, Lucas."_

_"Well, it's nice to meet you both." Kaitlin said as they returned the sentiment before she turned back towards Nathan. "So he's taken. What about you?" She asked quirking her right eyebrow and looking him up and down not even bothering to hide the fact that she was checking him out._

Nathan snapped back into reality when he heard feet shuffling into the kitchen. He looked up and smiled when he saw Haley who was still wearing her purple and white striped pajama pants and purple tank from the night before but was now covered with his Bobcats sweatshirt. He really loved when she wore his clothing, and luckily for him she's been doing it a lot lately. She looked so sexy, and it made him feel a cocky sense of pride. "I made some coffee." He informed her as she opened up the refrigerator door.

"No, thanks. I don't think my stomach can handle that. I'll just stick with some orange juice to be on the safe side." Haley said setting the carton of orange juice on the counter of the island before opening the cupboard reaching for a glass.

Nathan chuckled as he watched her struggled for a few seconds before pushing himself out of his chair. Arriving right behind her so his chest was brushing against her back, he easily reached up and grabbed the glass for her. "Every day." He teased handing it over to her.

"Thank you. And I can't help it that I'm short." She retorted playfully as the two laughed while she poured the juice into her empty glass.

"Hey, I never did ask you how you were feeling this morning." Nathan said wrapping his arms around her waist carefully pulling her into him as she took a drink. "I was too busy trying to catch whatever you've got by swapping spit with you." He laughed.

"That's kind of gross." She chucked turning around throwing her arms around his shoulders clasping her hands together at the nape of his neck. "I'm feeling better."

"Maybe you should go see a doctor." He suggested not truly believing her.

"It's nothing. Believe me, I've been sick before, and I know it's nothing serious. It will pass." She said confidently and smiled at the look of concern on his face. "It is very sexy how you worry, though." She added and if possible moved her body even closer into him.

"Well, I worry about you and Sophie. That's never going to change so sue me." He teased also wrapping his arms tighter around her, "Are you sure you can't come with me?"

"Are you sure you can't stay home?" She countered.

"It's the playoffs-you know I can't."

"I know. You're busy with that, and Sophie and I are busy with other stuff. We will just have to deal with it and wait to see each other on Sunday." She said placing a kiss on his bare chest.

Four hours later, Haley and Sophie were playing with some toys on the carpet in the living room when the door to Nathan's bedroom opened and closed. "Okay, I'm ready." Nathan stated as he came walking into the living room holding a couple of bags. "Clay just called. He's downstairs waiting for me."

Haley stood up from the floor following him to the door with Sophie also trailing close behind. Nathan let go of his bags and bent down to pick Sophie up. "Now you be good while I'm gone, okay. I love you." He said kissing her soundly on the cheek. He set her back down on the floor and laughed as she ran off. "Well, I better go." He said turning towards Haley.

"Hey, look in your carry-on when you get in the plane. I put some things in there that might take your mind off of the flight. I don't know if I'm that big of a miracle worker but it's worth a shot." She informed him.

Nathan smiled at her thoughtfulness. "Thanks, Hales." He said placing his hands on her waist drawing her flush up against him. "I'm going to miss you." He said huskily brushing his lips against hers. The kiss started off softly but quickly picked up in momentum as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip.

Haley didn't waste any time opening her mouth for him as their tongues collided. She moaned quietly into his mouth while wrapping her arms tighter around his neck as he did the same to her waist. The kiss lasted several minutes longer before a song began blaring from Nathan's cell phone. "That's Clay." He groaned in annoyance. "I have to go."

"I know." She said leaning up on her tip toes as she pressed one more quick kiss against his lips. "Bye. Call me when you get settled."

"I will." He promised picking up his two bags and heading out the door.

* * *

><p>At the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles, Nathan fell back against the bed in his hotel room with his phone pressed up against his ear. He waited through a series of rings before she finally picked up. "Hey." He greeted huskily.<p>

"Hi." She greeted feeling her body temperature increase slightly.

"So last night was..."

Haley blushed as flashbacks of the previous night entered her mind. She still couldn't believe she did that-they did that. "Yeah, last night was..."

"Amazing." He finished for her. He knew her face had to be as red as a tomato right now, and he knew she was replaying everything in her mind which he was happy about. He wanted her to think about it. Hell, he wanted that to be the only thing on her mind today. "You were pretty amazing, Haley James."

"Nathan." She scolded discreetly looking around her as if someone would be listening in on their conversation even though she was safely locked away in their apartment.

"Are you sure the neighbors didn't hear you moaning and screaming? Are you sure you didn't wake Sophie up?" He continued to taunt.

"Nathan!"

Nathan couldn't help but laugh. He heard her mumble that he was a jerk and his laughter grew louder. "I'm sorry, Hales."

"Can we please just keep last night to ourselves and not talk about it?" She pleaded.

"Oh, you mean the fact that we had phone sex...yeah, we can keep that to ourselves."

Haley tried not to, but she laughed. He was so frustrating and annoying. She never thought she would be the one to engage in phone sex but somehow-and she couldn't pinpoint when it started-Nathan talked her straight into it. She didn't even realize they were "doing it" until they were finished. She felt slightly embarrassed at first but she couldn't lie either...it was amazing. It was such an exhilarating experience. She never thought she would find someone she was comfortable enough with to actually engage in that type of experience, but with Nathan, it all sort of happened so casually and naturally. "Anyway..." She began sternly causing him to chuckle. "I'm sorry about the game."

"Yeah, it sucks. The guys played well and put up a good fight so I have nothing too negative to say about it or them. The Lakers just brought their game and beat us. We played a great season so it's okay."

"You did have a great season. And I'm going to be incredibly selfish for a moment and say it will be nice having you home more."

Nathan smiled at that. He had actually been thinking that same thought as well. "Yeah, that's like the major plus about us losing. Gosh, Hales, I wish you guys were here with me right now. All of the guys are going out tonight. There's this club downtown called Exchange LA that everyone's heading out to tonight. I've been there a couple of times. It's definitely one of the better nightclubs in LA."

"Are you going?"

"I don't know. They all want me to go." He stated.

"Then go." She said surprising him. "Seriously, when is the last time you went out with the guys? You're in LA, and you're not coming back until tomorrow. You might as well go out and have fun instead of wasting your time sitting in a hotel room watching television all night."

"Really? You're okay with that?" He questioned. He couldn't help but feel slightly guilty by this. Should he really go out and party while she's stuck at home with Sophie?

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be? Nathan, you're entitled to have a little fun."

"What about you?"

"What about me? Today is a good day. Sophie slept in until ten this morning, we have her doctor's appointment in an hour, and then tonight after she's sleeping, I'm going to have myself a nice glass of wine while taking a hot, relaxing bubble bath." She said.

"And how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She answered. That was partially the truth. She was feeling better, but she still felt a little sick to her stomach. She wasn't going to tell him that, though, because she knew he would feel guilty and stay in. He deserved to go out and have some fun. He needed it honestly. "Really, Nathan, go out. Today has been great. Well, if you take losing the playoffs out of the equation." She said as he chuckled. "But it is. Go out and have fun. I'm ordering you to."

"Well, if you're ordering me then I have to obey." He teased as she chuckled. "Thanks, Hales. I'll call you when I get back to the hotel, okay?"

"You better."

"Maybe we can even have a repeat of last night." He suggested.

"Maybe. You know...I recently went shopping with Quinn, and we went to Victoria's Secrets. I bought this little negligee. It's a shame you can't see it, but here's a visual. It's white and lacy." She began and smirked as he let out a low groan.

"You're killing me, Hales." He stated. He could feel how painfully hard he was.

Haley was surprised at how forward and brazen she was being right now considering how embarrassed she was earlier and the night before, but for some reason, she felt so empowered and sexy right now. Maybe it was just simply knowing that Nathan was going to be coming home soon, and that it would be pretty much for good. No more away games. No more basketball. No more weekly meetings. For several months, he was free. Deciding to torture him some more she continued, "And did I mention it's completely transparent? Have fun tonight, Nathan." She purred abruptly hanging up the phone.

Nathan closed his eyes in frustration as he dropped his phone onto the mattress. She was such a little tease, and he was not enjoying reaping the "benefits" right now. Images flooded his mind of that negligee. Images of her in it flooded his mind. He instantly thought back to last night, and while he wished he could have actually been there with her touching her and feeling her, there was something so sexy about not being there. Listening to her moaning and breathing knowing she was touching herself and knowing it was because of him regardless of whether or not he was actually physically with her was enough to reach his peak last night. God, he wouldn't mind experiencing that again. Especially now with these new images that were plaguing his brain.

His lust filled haze was broken as he heard the door to his hotel room opening. He jumped snapping his eyes open and noticed Clay standing there giving him a questioning look. "Clay! What the hell are you doing in here? And how the hell did you get a key to my room?"

"I flirted with the receptionist downstairs." Clay answered shrugging innocently. "What were you thinking about? Dude, were you about to...you know...play with little Jimmy?"

"What the hell do you want, Clay?" Nathan bit out.

"Oh, you were." Clay laughed. He laughed even harder at the look of total irritation on his friend's face, and because he loved messing with him, he decided to bait him some more. "Let me guess...were you thinking about Haley?"

Nathan glared at him when he mentioned Haley's name.

"I don't blame you, man. She's hot with her perfect, tight little body. She's totally fuc..."

"Clay, I swear I will beat you to your death if you don't stop talking and thinking about her like that!" Nathan warned.

"Dude, you need to relax. I'm just messing with you." Clay stated walking further into the room. "Kind of." He mumbled under his breath. "Anyway, I was just coming to see if we were on for tonight. You're coming, right?"

"Yeah. I just talked to Haley, and she said I should go-that I deserve a night out."

"That's so cute how you had to ask her for permission." Clay taunted. Sometimes he wondered if he really did have a death wish, because he knew Nathan could truly pummel him to his death. And he had never seen Nathan react so strongly to any girl before, and Clay took great pleasure out of messing with him and trying to get him to that breaking point. He's surprised the guy hasn't hit him yet with how much grief he gives him as well as how much he talks about Haley the way he does.

"Shut up." Nathan warned. "What time are we leaving?"

"Soon. Go get ready. Meet me down in the lobby in forty minutes." Clay ordered.

"It's only five. Why are we leaving so early?"

"We're going to go eat first at Gjelina. So go get up and get ready."

* * *

><p><em>Haley stood in line at Village Supermarket trying to wait as patiently as she could for it to finally be her turn. She bent to her left side counting three more people in front of her and sighed in agitation. This wasn't exactly how she wanted to be spending her afternoon, but here she was. Besides it was for her best friend so that's all that mattered.<em>

"_What is taking so long?" She mumbled under her breath when she heard feet shuffling up behind her. Uninterested, she didn't look back to see who was standing there. All she cared about were the people in front of her and how quickly they could get rung up and out of her way. Now one person. "Thank goodness." She mumbled quietly. It was then that she heard the voices of two women standing in line behind her who were more than obviously not trying to be discrete with their conversation. She didn't recognize their voices, but she wasn't about to turn around to find out who they were._

"_Well, it looks like we have another 'mistake' on our hands. Teens today-where did they go wrong? And she's supposedly a 'good girl'." Lady number one stated with a scoff._

"_Are you really that surprised, though? Think about who her family is." Lady number two added._

"_Like father like daughter." Lady number one said as they both snickered._

_Haley stared straight ahead trying not to be affected by their words. Did they even know who she was? She couldn't believe people could be so cruel to make such awful assumptions about people with whom they didn't even know. She wanted to cry for their cruelty, but she refused to give them the satisfaction. It didn't matter what they or any other person like them thought. They didn't know her. Did they really have nothing better to do than gossip about things they obviously knew nothing about? When it was finally her turn, she quickly threw some money onto the counter and booked it out of there without a second glance back._

_Twenty minutes later, Haley was walking up the stairs of the big house and through the halls until reaching her door. While knocking, she opened the door and saw her best friend sitting on her bed. Her eyes were all red shot and puffy indicating she had been crying. Probably since the two of them hung up their phones._

"_Did you get it?" Brooke asked with a shaky voice._

_Haley held up the white paper bag with her right hand, "I got it."_

_Three minutes later, the two girls were sitting on the bed. Brooke was anxiously, nervously biting her nails as Haley sat there quietly watching her best friend closely. "So…" She began._

"_I slept with Lucas." Brooke blurted out._

"_What? Lucas Scott?" Haley questioned not sure if she heard her correctly._

"_You know the basketball banquet that was held at Nathan's house last month for all of the basketball affiliated people?" Brooke began as Haley nodded. "Well, Lucas was there since he's part of the team now, and we got to talking and drinking. We both drank a bit too much, and the next thing I knew we were upstairs in one of the bedrooms going at it. Afterwards, he started getting really deep and serious talking about wanting forever with me. I freaked out. I threw on my clothes and ran out the door."_

"_Wha…wh…how did I not know about this?" Haley questioned trying to process the new information._

"_I'm sorry. I never told you. Please don't be mad at me. I just…I wasn't exactly proud of myself, and I didn't want you to hate me. I wanted to tell you. I really did, but I couldn't. I'm sorry."_

_"You have nothing to be sorry about, Tigger. And I could never hate you. I love you no matter what. Sometimes I might be disappointed with you, but that's only because I know you're better than what you give yourself credit for sometimes. But I could never hate you. We all make mistakes." Haley began as she placed her hand over Brooke's hands which were fidgeting in her lap. "No matter what those results say, I am here for you. We will find out a way to get through this together."_

_"Thank you, Haley. I can't do this without you." Brooke said turning and throwing her arms around the blonde girl embracing her in a tight hug. Backing away, she brushed some fallen tears from her cheek. "I think it's time."_

_"Do you want me to go look?"_

_"No. This is something I need to do for myself." Brooke declared standing up from the bed and walking away towards the bathroom._

_Haley waited as patiently as she could. Nervously, she bit her nails. She silently prayed that everything would be okay. With her eyes intently looking at the entryway to the bathroom, she finally noticed Brooke walking out. "It's negative." She declared letting out a huge sigh of relief before her tears consumed her. Haley rushed to her side holding her in her arms as Brooke sobbed into her chest._

_Several minutes later after Brooke had finally calmed down, the two girls were lying vertically on Brooke's bed sharing a pillow. They laid there in a peaceful, comfortable silence before Haley broke it. "So you and Lucas...you guys aren't together?"_

_"No. I can't, Haley. I like him. I really do, but it's too much. When he started saying the things he was saying, I about had a panic attack. I'm only seventeen-a junior in high school, and the thought of being confined in such a serious relationship was too much for me to think about. And it's not because I want to 'play the field' or anything like that. I'm just not ready. And it wouldn't be fair to either of us for me to make such a commitment that I'm not sure I could even live up to. I never wanted to hurt him. I know I did. I've seen the way he looks at me now, and he barely talks to me anymore. I feel so bad, but I'm just not ready." Brooke explained._

_"I completely understand that, Brooke. If you're not ready then you're not ready. And Lucas will be fine. Just give him some time."_

_"Thank you, Hales. Thank you for being such a supportive friend and for being you just in general. I love you."_

_"I'm only happy to return the favor. I love you, too." Haley responded._

_"Can we keep this between us? I mean, since I'm not pregnant...can we just keep this between us?" Brooke asked._

_"I'll take it to my grave." Haley promised as Brooke thanked her, and the two of them resumed their previous silent state._

_"By the way, after this 'little' incident, I am not having sex for a good long while." The brunette declared._

_"Oh, thank God." Haley stated letting out a breath. She turned and caught Brooke's eyes as the two began to hysterically laugh._

Haley nervously paced the tiled floor of her bathroom while biting her nails. She had been running around all over the place since Sophie's doctor's appointment. And to make matters worse, ever since the appointment Sophie has been grouchy. Actually, grouchy would probably be considered a bit of an understatement. Haley's stress level was already high, but Sophie's attitude was definitely pushing it to its limit. She had just finished putting Sophie down for bed which she didn't think she'd ever get done considering Sophie apparently felt like it wasn't time to go to bed yet. She was so exhausted and just a bundle of nerves at the moment, and she knew she was close to a breaking point.

Haley checked the watch on her left wrist for probably the twentieth time letting out an agitated sigh before dropping down to sit on the covered toilet seat. She bounced her legs up and down trying to wait as patiently as she could. Whatever the results are, she would deal with them-they would deal with them. After about twenty-two more seconds, it was finally time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath while reaching for the small stick sitting on the counter. She quietly counted to three before turning the stick over and opening her eyes to read the results.

_Not Pregnant_

Haley let out the huge breath she was holding in as tears flooded her eyes. Tears of relief. She took several more deep breaths still trying to get over all of the emotions that were plaguing her in the moment. Placing her hand over her rapidly beating heart, she tried to calm her body down. She almost felt as if she was having a panic attack but in reality knew she was nowhere near that bad.

As soon as the thought that she could possibly be pregnant entered her mind, which actually happened while she was at Sophie's doctor's appointment, she kept telling herself over and over that she would be able to handle whatever the results would be. And if she were pregnant, then she would have found a way to deal with it. But she was terrified. This was probably one of the scariest moments of her life, and it's been taking everything in her not to break down.

She continued to sit there as the past month all seemed to replay in her mind. She thought back to the first time she and Nathan slept together to the second and to the third. She thought back to the other two times as well. She thought about when Nathan "moved into" her bedroom. She thought about the fact that they haven't discussed anything. She thought about the fact that anytime she tried to bring it up, Nathan seemed to deflect the conversation somehow. She thought about how easily she put their inevitable "talk" out of her mind. She thought about it all.

More tears came as they streamed down her cheeks. Placing her face in her hands, she leaned forward sobbing internally asking herself questions-questions she couldn't answer. _How did her life come to this? Why is her best friend dead? Why is her mother dead? Why did she have to be the one Brooke chose to take care of Sophie? Why did she have to do it with Nathan? Why did she have to fall in love with him? When did she become someone who took sex so casually? Who is this person she has become?_ She tried catching her breath feeling as if she couldn't breathe. Now she was certain she was having a bit of a panic attack. She really needed Nathan right now.

"Drink, drink, drink!" The crowd continued to chant as Nathan, Clay, and a few other guys chugged down their beers. Nathan finished first as he crashed his glass down on the bar counter reveling in his victory. He was having a blast hanging out with the guys. He forgot how much fun he used to have with all of them. He wasn't drunk yet, but he did have a pretty nice buzz, and it was definitely safe to say he was well on his way towards being drunk. He needed tonight. He needed a carefree night with the guys before going back home to North Carolina to be with Haley and Sophie. As he thought about them, he couldn't help but smile. It was good to be away, but gosh did he miss them. He wondered what they were doing right now. He figured they had to be sleeping considering it was ten o'clock at night here in Los Angeles making it one in the morning back in Charlotte. He pictured Haley cuddled together under the blankets snuggling into the pillow on the bed sleeping peacefully.

"Uh oh! I know that look." Clay slurred appearing at his side as he wrapped his left arm drunkenly around Nathan's shoulders. "That's the Haley James look."

"What?"

"Yup. Anytime you think about her you get this glazed over look in your eyes." Clay said taking a swig from his beer.

"No, I don't."

"You so do. You've got it bad." Clay smirked.

"I do not." Nathan dismissed not very effectively.

"Dude, what the hell happened to you? You used to be this big, fun party animal. We were each other's wing men, and this is the first night we've been out in how many months? It's ridiculous. I need my wing man back. I don't need this love sick puppy who is sitting in front of me right now. This isn't you."

"I'm not a love sick puppy." Nathan retorted slamming back a shot of tequila feeling the smoothness run down his throat.

"You are, man. But it ends now. Tonight-no more thinking about Haley James. Tonight-we have some fun. We drink. And you help me get laid-not that I need any help there but still...you're my wing man!" Clay exclaimed raising his beer bottle as the guys surrounding them all raised their own glasses and cheered as well. "Round of tequila, bartender! On me!" He ordered.

Nathan laughed at his friend as he slammed back another shot of tequila followed by another then another. Clay was right about something-tonight was for drinking and having fun. He wasn't going to think about anything else. The bartender placed a new beer in front of him, and he brought the bottle up to his lips taking a gulp. A body came to sit down on the stool next to him. He turned and smirked at the girl who very obviously rubbed her chest up against him as she took a seat next to him. The girl was hot-brown hair, sexy smile, smoking body. He took the opportunity to check her out and noticed she was wearing a red, skin tight dress which left very little to the imagination. God, she was hot.

"I'm Alex. Alex Dupre." She introduced herself smiling at him.

"Nathan Scott."

"Oh, I know who you are." She smirked giving him a once over before catching his gaze. "Do you want to buy me a drink?"

Nathan smiled smugly at her, "I do."

* * *

><p>Nathan walked into the apartment and immediately noticed how quiet it was. It was almost an eerie like quiet like what he felt when he stepped foot inside his parent's house. His first instinct was to call out to someone but caught himself just as he opened his mouth. What if they were sleeping? He didn't want to take that chance of waking them. He hoped they weren't asleep, though. He missed them terribly and just wanted to hold them both in his arms again. Dropping his bags in the foyer, he made his way into the living room where he noticed Haley sitting upright on the couch. "Hey."<p>

"Hey." Haley greeted stiffly without turning around.

Nathan knew there was something wrong and walked further into the room until he was facing her. The first thing he noticed was the red puffiness of her eyes. "Hales, what's wrong?" He asked concerned immediately joining her on the couch. However, she recoiled away from him while throwing the blanket off of her and abruptly standing up. "Are you okay?" He asked cautiously.

"Of course." She answered. "How was last night?" She asked as she started picking up the toys all over the floor.

"Okay." He answered vaguely still trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

"Okay." She repeated letting out a small sardonic laugh.

Nathan quirked an eyebrow, "Are you sure you're oka..."

"I'm fine." She cut him off looking sharply at him.

"Okay." Nathan drawled out quietly. "Is Sophie asleep?" He asked. He watched as she sent him a quick nod as she continued cleaning everything up. He got on the floor himself and began picking up the toys as well.

"I've got it." She quipped.

"I'm just trying to help you."

"Well, don't." She bit out. "I can handle this. Why don't you go take a nap or something, because I'm sure you're exhausted from staying out all night drinking and partying and God knows what else?" She said sarcastically.

"Okay, what is wrong with you? Are you mad because I went out last night? You're the one who told me to go out and have a good time so why are you acting like you're pissed off about it?" He questioned.

"I'm not mad." She said glaring at him.

"Is this because I didn't call you? Look, I'm sorry about that. We got in really late, and I wasn't exactly in the best shape to be making phone calls. I tried calling you this morning, though, but you didn't pick up. I'm sorry. I should have called like I said I would." He apologized thinking that might be what was upsetting her, because no matter how much she affirmed there wasn't, there was. And it was very obvious it was something he did or didn't do.

"No big deal. You had _other_ things to worry about anyway."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He retorted.

Haley turned around at his tone and pushed herself from the carpet so she was standing up. "What do you think it means?" She challenged and waited for him to say something but he didn't. "Does the name Alex mean anything to you?"

"Are you kidding me?" He questioned angrily standing up from the couch now also standing in front of her. "I don't know what you heard, but nothing happened."

"Heard? Oh no, I didn't hear anything. You see since you're such a big celebrity and all...lucky for me, I got to see a visual. You want to try telling me again that nothing happened."

"Haley, I am telling you the truth. Nothing happened. Yes, she was there. I bought her a couple of drinks. She bought me a couple of drinks. SHE kissed me once and tried convincing me to take her back to my hotel room, but I didn't. And by the way, the kiss was nothing. Our lips barely touched before I backed away. Nothing happened." He affirmed sternly and honestly.

"Did you think about it?"

"Think about what?" He asked confused.

"Before she kissed you...before you turned her down...did you think about leaving with her or kissing her or anything like that?" She asked. She noticed the way his face dropped and saw the hesitation pass over his features, and she knew instantly what his answer was. That was all she needed to get hit with a big dose of reality. The past month...heck, the past year had once again replayed in her mind. Every touch, every kiss, every time they made love...it was all a lie. It was meaningless. She felt so cheap and used. "I can't believe I was so stupid."

"What?" He questioned softly.

"I trusted you. I fell for yo...I'm such an idiot. I can't do this anymore."

"Haley, please, what are..."

"I can't be here right now. I can't. I need some time away from all of this. I'm taking Sophie to Tree Hill with me for awhile. I just..." She paused feeling her tears forming.

"Okay. That's fine. You need a break. We both do. And basketball's over now so we can go to Tree Hill early." He stated walking closer to her. He stopped, though, when he saw her take a step back shaking her head.

"No, Nathan. I have to get away from you. I can't be here. I need some time away from you to think and stuff. I'm taking Sophie to Tree Hill, and I don't want you to come with us. I just can't."

"Haley, you don't want this. Please, why are you doing this? What did I do? Is this about Alex? If it is...Haley, I am telling you the truth. I didn't do anything with her, and I don't want anything to do with her."

"This isn't about her." She said closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"Then, what?" He pleaded desperately. "Tell me what to do, because I'll do anything."

"How do you feel about me, Nathan?" She asks catching him off-guard. "What is this between us? What are we doing? Is this whole thing just for sex? Is it for Sophie? Is it deeper? What? What is this?" She asks with so much desperation.

"Haley, I…this thing is…it's for Sophie, and it's…I don't know, okay." He stammers.

Haley snapped her eyes shut as a couple of tears fell. "I'm sorry, but I can't be here right now. With you. I can't. I'm sorry, but we're going." She cries before rushing out of the living room and into her bedroom. Leaning against the closed door, she slid down to the floor as her tears consumed her. She sat there with her legs bent up with her head plastered against her knees and just sobbed.

She didn't know how long she sat there. It felt like hours, but she knew it was only minutes. With the baby monitor on, she heard Sophie whimpering lowly stirring in her crib. She closed her eyes trying to collect herself and just as she made a move to stand up, she heard Nathan walking into Sophie's bedroom.

"Hey, Soph. What's wrong, sweetie. You up from your nap already."

She listened and could tell he was picking her up and out of the crib.

"I've missed you. Gosh, I missed you so much. You and Haley."

Haley felt more tears streaming down her cheeks. She listened as he took a seat on the rocking chair and began rocking back and forth.

"You're going to go away for a little bit with Haley, okay. I probably won't see you for awhile, but I am sure going to miss you. I wish I could keep you here with me, but I think Haley needs you right now. I want you to promise me that you'll be a good girl, okay. Be the best little girl ever for Haley.

Haley continued to listen as he continued to rock and talk to Sophie, and she felt her heart breaking. Why did this have to be so difficult? She hated herself for falling in love with him. She just wanted to make it stop. She didn't want to feel this way anymore. Everything hurt so much.

**How much do you guys hate me? :) So there you go. Please let me know what you think. I hope to have another chapter up for you guys soon. I know it won't be on Saturday, because I am crazy busy, but I am optimistic that it will be Sunday. I'm going to work really hard to get it to you then. If not then definitely Monday.**

**Have a wonderful weekend!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Back with another update! I'm sorry. I'm not going to feed you guys any excuses-just an apology.**

**As always thank you so much for all of the story alerts I'm receiving for this story. It is wonderful knowing people are interested, and I hope that continues as we approach the end of this story. And a huge thanks to Steffsche, naleyluv, toughgirl13, PSUgirl28 (chapter 1), tp404, solo73, courtneylovejason, HBJHOTH23 (chapter 21), Othfan48, grumpie2003, J. Caroline, kutebloo, rosepetal16, JamesLover23, Ellie, thekellay, and luvnit for taking the time to review. I know how it's so easy to just read chapters of stories and move on. I know I do it. LOL! But thank you for reviewing. It means a lot to me. :) And thank you to so many of your kinds words regarding me and my pregnancy. You are all so sweet.**

**I did "steal" a scene/idea from the actual movie in this chapter, because it was always an important part of it, and it is with my story as well. So I do not own the idea for the final scene in this chapter…it all came from Life As We Know It (the actual movie that inspired this story). ;)**

**And sadly, there is no Naley in this chapter. Sorry. And it's also not as long as the previous two.**

**So that's all I have to say so let's read.**

Clay stood impatiently outside of the apartment knocking on the wooden door. This would make for the fourth time he's knocked and received no answer. He reached down towards the knob and rolled his eyes at himself when he realized the door was actually unlocked. Pushing it open and walking inside, he stopped in his tracks as he looked around. "What the…" There were a couple bags in the foyer near the door which looked exactly like the ones he took with them to California. On the table in the dining room there were some old, empty takeout Chinese cartons and a couple of empty beer bottles. Walking into the kitchen, he saw some a few dishes piled up in the sink as well as the counters covered with a couple empty pizza containers. He walked through the living room seeing some papers and bills and four beer bottles sprawled out along the coffee table. Shaking his head, he made his way through the hallway stopping in front of Nathan's bedroom where the door was wide open. He noticed Nathan passed out on the bed fully dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain navy blue sweatshirt.

Clay rolled his right hand into a fist and punched Nathan hard on the right shoulder.

Nathan awoke to a sharp pain slicing through his shoulder, and he instantly grabbed it rolling over in agony when he noticed Clay standing to the right of his bed. "What the hell are you doing here, Clay?"

"I think the better question is what the hell are you doing here? Clearly not cleaning." Clay stated looking around the bedroom which had piles of dirty clothes all over the floor. "Dude, it seriously smells like ass in here."

"Then leave." Nathan retorted rolling back over onto his left side.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you for the past five days." Clay stated and waited for a response.

"I've been busy."

"Yeah, it sure looks like it." Clay said sarcastically.

"Just go away."

"That's not happening. And I'm going to stay here and bug the hell out of you until you wake up, take a shower, and change your disgusting clothes so you might as well get this over with." Clay said firmly. He watched and smiled in satisfaction as Nathan begrudginly climbed off the bed, dug through his drawer pulling out some clean clothes, and heading out of the bedroom and into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, Nathan walked into the living room dressed in a clean pair of black swish pants and a white t-shirt. He took a seat on the couch with a huff glaring at Clay who was sitting on the recliner. Clay shook his head pushing himself up and disappearing into the kitchen. A couple minutes later, he returned handing Nathan a bottle of water and two Aspirins as he resumed his seat on the recliner and watched his friend swallowing the pills with some water. "So…are you going to tell me what's going on with…this?" He asked gesturing around the living room with his hands.

Nathan looked at the messy living room and shrugged.

"I can't help but notice Haley and Sophie are gone." Clay asked jumping straight to the point. Obviously, the two girls were gone. He doesn't know Haley that well, but he knows her enough to know that she would never leave the apartment a mess like this-especially with Sophie around. He watched Nathan's face carefully as it dropped slightly, and there was a hint of sadness and distress pooling in his features. "Where are they, Nate?" He asked softly.

"Tree Hill." Nathan answered simply and vaguely, and he instantly wondered what she was doing right now.

Haley sifted through the racks of clothing disinterested in what was hanging. She didn't really want to be here right now. She would much rather be laying in bed indulging in any type of food or snack that was insanely bad for her. Keith and Karen were watching Sophie for a few hours to give her a break, and her plan was to stay inside. But Peyton, Bevin, Millie, and Rachel had other plans for them.

Sighing, she walked towards the back of the store and into the fitting room area taking a seat on one of the dark khaki plush chairs. Rachel, Bevin, and Peyton were occupying three of the fitting rooms trying on outfit after outfit while Millie was currently sitting on a bench outside of the store talking to Mouth on the phone.

She could hear the girls giggling and talking to each other through the rooms, and she leaned back against the chair feeling slightly annoyed. Crossing her left leg over her right, she began picking at the nails on her fingers. She heard and saw someone out of the corner of her eye sitting down in the chair next to her knowing instantly it was Millie.

"Having fun?" Millie asked.

"Yeah." Haley lied softly sending her a small smile.

"You don't have to lie to me, Haley." Millie spoke up.

Haley looked at her, "Am I that obvious?"

"A little." Millie chuckled. "But I don't blame you. Those three girls can have way too much energy some days."

Haley couldn't help but laugh at that. "I know they mean well, and their hearts are in the right place. But I would just love to be at home right now. I've been so fixated on keeping busy with Sophie and trying not to be down and depressed around her that I haven't really had the chance to think about me. Today was the first day that I've had a few hours without Sophie, and I honestly just wanted to spend it alone. I don't mean to sound selfish or ungrateful because you guys are being so amazing today, I just…"

"You just wanted to have a day to yourself to process everything." Millie finished for her.

"Yeah."

"I understand, and I don't blame you at all. And you don't need to feel guilty for feeling this way. In fact, if you want to skip out of here while they are all unaware…" Millie began causing Haley to laugh. "Go ahead. I'll explain things to them, and they'll understand."

Haley thought about Millie's proposition and truly considered it. She wanted to-so badly, but she decided against it. "Thanks for the offer, but I might as well stay. I'm already here, aren't I?" She asked rhetorically as they both laughed. "It is nice to be home with all of you guys. I love you all so much." She stated turning more serious.

"We love you, too. And we are thrilled that you're back home with us. Do you know how long you're going to be staying in Tree Hill?"

Haley shook her head, "No. I don't really know anything anymore." She said quietly.

An hour later the five girls were sitting at a table in the foodcourt eating some food they had purchased from Charley's Grilled Subs. Haley ate her chedder french fries and sipped her strawberry lemonade quietly as the four others carried on flowing conversations. She wasn't in the mood to really join into anything. She was staying-that was more than enough for her right now. Talking was a different story.

"So I think Owen's going to ask me to marry him." Rachel revealed as the girls squealed in excitement. Haley smiled softly but that was all she was able to muster.

"What makes you think this?" Millie asked.

"Well, I found a receipt from Helzberg Diamonds, and of course, I had to figure out what it was." Rachel began as everyone laughed. "I started snooping around in his drawers one night when I was over at his apartment, and I found an engagement ring in a black velvet jewelry box."

"Oh my gosh, this is so exciting!" Bevin exclaimed. "I am so going to be your maid of honor." She added before taking a big bite of her sub as they all laughed at her.

"Actually, you would be considered my matron of honor but same thing, and of course you will be. I just can't believe he's going to propose. I am so excited. A part of me wishes I would have never found the ring, though, because I keep driving myself crazy wondering when he's going to do it and how he's going to do it. I guess this mildly proves why you shouldn't go snooping through your boyfriend's stuff." Rachel said taking a drink of her water.

"Well, I might be jumping the boat a little but congratulations, Rach." Millie said as the other girls followed.

"Congratulations." Haley said softly. _Wonderful, I'm going to be the only single one left._ She couldn't help but think somewhat bitterly. She was truly happy for Rachel, but today was just not a good day to hear about everyone's lives moving forward and celebrating good news-especially engagement/wedding type of news.

After they finished eating, they found themselves walking along the mall some more. _Will this day never end?_ Haley internally questioned. As they were walking, Bevin stopped suddenly, "We have to go in here for Peyton." Haley looked to her left and noticed they were standing right outside of Motherhood Maternity. Instantly, flashes from those days prior played out in her mind. This was so not what she needed in the moment. The girls quickly rushed into the store full of excitement. It was almost as if they were all pregnant and showing. Heck, Peyton wasn't even showing yet. What was she even going to try on? She's so skinny that she could probably wear regular clothes up until her due date. "Are you coming?" A voice asked breaking her out of her thoughts. Haley smiled and nodded before following Peyton into the store.

The minutes went by as they all sifted through the racks. Haley was more off to herself towards the front of the store while everyone else was towards the back. She was currently looking through a rack of summer tops. Seeing a pale yellow top with small white dots all over it that had halter top strings which actually started at the top center of her chest wrapping around the neck and flowing material around the stomach, she pulled it out. It was absolutely adorable. She imagined what it would look like on her if she were pregnant. Instinctively, she placed her left hand flat against her stomach.

"Hales, are you okay?" Peyton asked startling the other girl a bit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay." Haley reassured immediately hanging up the garment. She could feel the blush forming on her face. She quickly turned towards the curly blonde, "Did you find anything?" She asked changing the subject.

"Nothing I can actually wear." Peyton laughed. She looked at Haley with some concern. She's been observing her friend closely all day. Haley acted so down and depressed. She barely talked, and her usual happy aura was vacant. Obviously there was something wrong, and she knew it had to do with Nathan. Why wasn't he in Tree Hill with them? The season is over, and they told her they would be coming back once basketball was over and done with. So where was he? Haley hadn't opened up about anything yet. In fact, this was the first time they had actually had a chance to hang out. Haley didn't even tell them she was in town. Rachel and Bevin walked into the cafe and saw her and Sophie in there. Immediately, they picked up on something wrong. After hearing that Keith and Karen were taking Sophie for a few hours today, the four girls quickly made plans to "kidnap" Haley and take her out to try to cheer her up. Needless to say, that clearly wasn't working. And maybe they shouldn't have tried. "Well, I think we're going to be done after this. We need to stop spending so much money." She joked hoping to get a laugh out of her friend. All Haley could seem to muster up was another small smile, though. "I'm sure you probably just want to go home and rest for awhile before Sophie comes back home, right?" She prodded.

"That was the plan." Haley mumbled under her breath.

Peyton was slightly caught off-guard by her tone. _Yeah, maybe this was a bad idea._ She told herself. They should have just let her be, and if and when she was ready to come to them, they would be here for her. She thought about calling Nathan and finding out what happened from him. She wondered what he was up to and what was going on with this whole situation. She just wanted answers.

"So do you want to tell me what's going on now?" Clay asked only to receive no response. "Clearly, there is something going on. Why are Haley and Sophie in Tree Hill? Why aren't you with them? Why are you living like this and hiding yourself away in this apartment? What's going on?" He prodded.

"We just...we had a little fight or something. We needed some time apart." Nathan answered lamely considering he didn't really know how to explain everything.

"Okay. Well, I'm guessing the fight happened right after we returned from California." Clay stated as Nathan looked at him confused. "Dude, I saw the bags by the door. Does this have anything to do with that Alex chick? What even happened there?"

Nathan took a deep sigh as he thought about that night.

_"Drink, drink, drink!" The crowd continued to chant as Nathan, Clay, and a few other guys chugged down their beers. Nathan finished first as he crashed his glass down on the bar counter reveling in his victory. He was having a blast hanging out with the guys. He forgot how much fun he used to have with all of them. He wasn't drunk yet, but he did have a pretty nice buzz, and it was definitely safe to say he was well on his way towards being drunk. He needed tonight. He needed a carefree night with the guys before going back home to North Carolina to be with Haley and Sophie. As he thought about them, he couldn't help but smile. It was good to be away, but gosh did he miss them. He wondered what they were doing right now. He figured they had to be sleeping considering it was ten o'clock at night here in Los Angeles making it one in the morning back in Charlotte. He pictured Haley cuddled together under the blankets snuggling into the pillow on the bed sleeping peacefully._

_"Uh oh! I know that look." Clay slurred appearing at his side as he wrapped his left arm drunkenly around Nathan's shoulders. "That's the Haley James look."_

_"What?"_

_"Yup. Anytime you think about her you get this glazed over look in your eyes." Clay said taking a swig from his beer._

_"No, I don't."_

_"You so do. You've got it bad." Clay smirked._

_"I do not." Nathan dismissed not very effectively._

_"Dude, what the hell happened to you? You used to be this big, fun party animal. We were each other's wing men, and this is the first night we've been out in how many months? It's ridiculous. I need my wing man back. I don't need this love sick puppy who is sitting in front of me right now. This isn't you."_

_"I'm not a love sick puppy." Nathan retorted slamming back a shot of tequila feeling the smoothness run down his throat._

_"You are, man. But it ends now. Tonight-no more thinking about Haley James. Tonight-we have some fun. We drink. And you help me get laid-not that I need any help there but still...you're my wing man!" Clay exclaimed raising his beer bottle as the guys surrounding them all raised their own glasses and cheered as well. "Round of tequila, bartender! On me!" He ordered._

_Nathan laughed at his friend as he slammed back another shot of tequila followed by another then another. Clay was right about something-tonight was for drinking and having fun. He wasn't going to think about anything else. The bartender placed a new beer in front of him, and he brought the bottle up to his lips taking a gulp. A body came to sit down on the stool next to him. He turned and smirked at the girl who very obviously rubbed her chest up against him as she took a seat next to him. The girl was hot-brown hair, sexy smile, smoking body. He took the opportunity to check her out and noticed she was wearing a red, skin tight dress which left very little to the imagination. God, she was hot._

_"I'm Alex. Alex Dupre." She introduced herself smiling at him._

_"Nathan Scott."_

_"Oh, I know who you are." She smirked giving him a once over before catching his gaze. "Do you want to buy me a drink?"_

_Nathan smiled smugly at her, "I do." He took a sip out of his beer. As much as he tried to forget about it, Clay's words kept replaying in his mind. He wasn't some lovesick puppy. He didn't even like Haley like that. Did he? They were just friends now. Right? Nathan was driving himself crazy with all of these conflicting thoughts. Clay didn't know what the hell he was talking about. This thing-whatever it is-with Haley was just a release for the both of them. They were lonely and comforting one another sexually. They lived together, are raising Sophie together, and spend practically every waking moment together. It was bound to turn into something-at least sexually. There's nothing more to it._

_Then why do you sleep-literally sleep-with her every night? Why do you want to sleep with her every night? And why is it you that makes the first move? Why does it feel like so much more than just sex when you make love to her? Why do you think about her constantly? Why do you feel so lost and lonely whenever you're not around her? Why do you try so hard to be a different guy around her?_

_Questions plagued him and all he wanted was to escape it all. Clay was right in a way-this wasn't him. He wasn't the type to grow attached. He wasn't the type to change, and he could probably never be the guy Haley would want and deserve him to be. He wasn't that guy. He just needed to put it all out of his head. He needed to prove that he was the same guy he's always been, because anything else was terrifying. Anything else meant that he would actually have to take a chance. He wasn't sure if he could do that and commit to that._

_He rid himself of those thoughts. They were just confusing him. And as Clay already said-tonight was about having fun. He focused all of his attention to the girl sitting on the stool next to him. She really was hot, and she was exactly what he needed to get his mind off of everything else. She was obviously very interested and willing so he might as well reap the benefits._

_A couple hours and several more drinks later, Nathan was more than feeling the effects from the alcohol. He found himself at the bar once again still with Alex. He had to admit that he was pretty impressed by her. She was proving to be a lot of fun. And the girl could definitely hold her liquior, and she seemed to be doing better than he was in that department. She was such a carefree, crazy girl who knew who she was and what she wanted. She was confident with herself and with her body. She also got him to loosen up, and she even got him to dance-fast songs, of course._

_They waited for the bartender to come to them for their drink orders. Due to the jam packed crowd, they were standing pretty close together. Their chests were practically pressed together. He glanced down at her and noticed she was staring up at him. She smirked before her eyes zoned in on his lips. He licked his suddently dry lips as she didn't waste any time before leaning in. With their lips just milimeters apart, flashes of Haley entered his mind and he almost sobered up completely. He felt Alex's lips brush lightly against his-barely a touch, and he instantly pulled away. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this."_

_"What? Please tell me you're joking right now." Alex bit out._

_"No, I'm not. I'm sorry, but I just..." He paused and noticed the look on her face. "There's kind of someone else."_

_"Really? If there was someone else then why have you been all over me the whole night?" She challenged._

_"I don't really know what's going on between this other girl and me. And I just thought that..."_

_"You just thought that you could use me and lead me on all night." She interrupted heatedly. "Is that it?"_

_"I'm sorry, I never meant to..."_

_"Lucky for you," She interrupted once again and moved closer into his body with her mouth hovering right outside of his ear, "I don't mind if you use me, because I plan on using you. And I like bad boys." She whispered seductively._

_Nathan felt her hot breath against his skin and unlike before, he felt nothing there except a sense of how wrong it was. "I'm sorry, but this is not going to happen."_

_"She doesn't have to know. It can be our little secret." She purred._

_"But I will, and I can't do this. Not to her. Not to me. Not to Sophie."_

_"Who's Sophie?" Alex questioned._

_"She's our...she's...we raise he...she's kind of like our daughter in a way." He answered stammering. He didn't even know how to answer that question correctly. He was so messed up right now his his conflicting thoughts and emotions. And as much as he wanted to forget about them, this was not the way to do it. "Look, I'm sorry. I never meant to lead you on or anything like that. I was interested at first, but for the wrong reason. I'm sorry, but I just can't do this."_

"So you never hooked up with her?" Clay asked. He wasn't sure if Nathan and that girl had actually left together or not. He had left the club before Nathan, and when he was still there, they were pretty much all over each other on the dance floor. He thought for sure they were heading back to the hotel room together. But by the next morning, he was nursing his own horrible hangover and never thought any more of it.

"No. I couldn't do it. I don't really think I ever actually wanted to. I just wanted it to stop." Nathan stated.

"What to stop?"

"The questions. The doubts. I was tired of trying to figure out what's going on between me and Haley." He said exasperated.

"What is going on between you and Haley?" Clay couldn't help but question.

"We've been sleeping together." Nathan revealed surprising Clay. "Why do you look so surprised? You've been hassling me ever since you met Haley about us sleeping together."

"Yeah, but I'm mainly doing that just to mess with you. I always felt there was something more there, but I also never thought it would happen so casually. Haley doesn't seem like that type of girl."

"She's not that type of girl. Not that I was ever complaining, but I never understood why she slept with me in the first place let alone carried on a 'friends with benefits' type of relationship." Nathan said.

"You're joking, right?" Clay countered as Nathan looked at him confused. "Nate, please tell me you're not seriously that dense. You just said yourself that Haley is not this type of girl so do you seriously have to ask yourself why she's doing it-willingly? Come on. Don't be that guy."

"What guy is that?" Nathan retorted. "Seriously, Clay, at the club you kept going on and on about how I'm not the 'good' guy that I was apparently changing into and now what? What guy am I supposed to be in this situation? I can't keep up."

"Okay, first of all...dude, I was drunk that night. I don't remember half of what I said. And second of all...don't even think about blaming me for this situation. I don't care who you are. I'm going to give you crap for whatever you do or whoever you become." Clay began as both guys managed to laugh. "But I've seen a change in you, Nate, ever since Haley and Sophie came into the picture. And it's not a bad change. And you're just delusional if you don't see and realize it, too. But what do you want? Do you want Haley? I think I know the answer to those questions, but it's not up to me to decide." Clay said.

"I don't know what I want, okay." Nathan stated weakly.

"Yes, you do. I can't force you into making an actual decision and admitting it but here's something for you to think about...look around, Nate." Clay began gesturing towards the apartment. "Haley and Sophie are gone. They left you. If that's something you're okay with, even though you obviously aren't considering the way you're acting and living right now, then you already have the answers to those questions. But if you're not okay, you better start figuring it out and man up. Stop acting like such a coward." He said sternly as he stood up. He left Nathan on the couch to think about everything as he headed towards the door. "And clean this place up." He ordered before walking out of the apartment.

After changing into a gray pair of sweatpants and a plain long-sleeved black t-shirt, Haley looked over to the bed where Sophie was intently watching her. She smiled boisterously at the little girl who returned the sentiment. She walked towards the bed climbing up onto the mattress, "Well, Soph, it was a pretty good day."

_Was it? Were any of these days lately good?_ She internally questioned. Truth be told she was miserable. If it weren't for Sophie, she would probably stay in bed all day every day wallowing. She didn't want to but she missed Nathan. She missed falling asleep and waking up next to him. She missed talking and listening to him. She missed witnessing the interaction between him and Sophie which always made her heart melt. She missed simply being in his presence. She just missed everything about him.

She glanced over-Sophie was still watching her. "Do you miss Nathan, too? I'm sure you do. And I am positive that he is missing you like crazy. He loves you so much. I do, too. We both love you with everything we have. And we will both be here for you forever. I promise. Things are just complicated and confusing right now, but they will get better." Haley wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Sophie or herself at this point.

"Momma."

Haley looked suddenly at her as tears filled her eyes, "Wha…" She sat there in shock at the fact that Sophie had just spoken her first words. In an instant, though, she fully processed what the little girl had actually said, "No, I'm Haley. My name is Haley."

"Momma."

Haley felt an array of emotions-happiness, surprise, sadness, pride, guilt…the list could go on and on. She didn't know the "right" way to feel about this. She wasn't Sophie's mother. Brooke, her best friend, was. A couple tears strolled down her cheek at that thought. She didn't want to replace Brooke-she couldn't ever replace her. Was it right for Sophie to call her 'mom'? Essentially, though, she was her mom. Sophie repeated it once again, and Haley closed her eyes. She thought about Brooke and took a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she picked Sophie up in her arms. "That's right, sweetie, I am your momma." She declared tearfully resting Sophie against her chest smiling as the little girl snuggled further into her embrace.

**So there you go. Please let me know what you guys think. Your words are always so encouraging and inspiring. :) I am going to work REALLY REALLY REALLY hard to get the next chapter out to you guys tomorrow. I have absolutely nothing to do tonight, and my husband is going camping with the guys until Thursday night so I won't have him around to distract me. I can actually focus on this story while I cuddle up in bed watching my Grey's Anatomy or One Tree Hill DVDs-not sure which one I'm feeling like right now. LOL!**

**Anyway, be on the lookout tomorrow for another chapter. I am really hoping to get it finished and out to you guys. I can already tell you it won't be earlier in the day, though. It will most likely be afternoon/evening-around those times if I get it finished. ;)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Back with an update! So I'm not trying to feed you guys excuses, but my internet has been down since Thursday night. No offense to anyone if they like it and/or work for the company, but I HATE Comcast. We always have problems with it! But I'm wondering if it's just in my area or our particular house or whatever, because I've heard good reviews about it from a bunch of other people I know. It's just so frustrating and getting really old. Anyway, thanks for being patient and waiting for me to get this chapter out for you guys.**

**Anyway...thanks again for all of the story alerts I'm receiving for this story. It's so wonderful knowing people are interested in it. And as always, a huge thanks to courtneylovejason, toughgirl13, Othfan48, JamesLover23, mommyof3cutiestha, luvnit, hsmoser1, rosepetal16, forhimonly67, Ellie, thekellay, J. Caroline, and kutebloo for taking the time to review. It's always such a pleasure to read your lovely words.**

**I'll warn you guys that this chapter doesn't feature any present day Naley. Actually, there isn't any present day at all. The whole chapter actually consists of a compilation of short little Naley flashbacks. But this gives a little more insight to Nathan's feelings for Haley and just when they may have developed. ;) But I hope you still enjoy it.**

**So that's all I have to say, let's get to reading! :)**

_Nathan pulled some books from his locker smirking at a couple of girls who walked by. This was becoming such a normal routine for him. It was the end of his freshman year, and he has quintessintially become the "God" of Tree Hill High, and he was revelling in every moment of it. After they passed, he noticed Brooke standing by her locker on the other side of the hallway. Of course she was looking at herself in a mirror while applying some kind of makeup. Rolling his eyes, he then noticed a girl standing next to her. It was the same girl he always sees her with. He had no idea who she was. Clearly, she wasn't part of the popular crowd or a cheerleader or else he would know who she was. Why she and Brooke always hung out, he never understood. He's honestly never paid any attention to her before but now for some reason he was fascinated by her now._

_He leaned sideways against his locker as he observed her. She was kind of mousy and plain looking. She was wearing a pair of jeans which did nothing for her figure and a light purple t-shirt which was actually a little more form fitting. He noticed that she wasn't exactly flat in the chest area. The shirt was also riding up a little bit showing off a small layer of skin. His eyes traveled up and looked at her face which was void of any makeup, and her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail. He watched as she animatedly talked to Brooke about something. And then she laughed. It was a real, sincere laugh unlike what he grew so accustomed to with other girls. "Hey, Nate!" Nathan turned at the sound of his voice and noticed Fede just a couple feet away._

_"Party tonight-you comin'?" Fede asked._

_"Of course." Nathan replied. "You know I never miss a good party."_

_"So who's going to be the lucky girl tonight?"_

_"Whoever comes to me first." Nathan responded with a cocky smirk as Fede laughed. He looked over and noticed that girl still standing and talking with Brooke. "Hey, who's the girl Brooke is always hanging around with?"_

_Fede turned his head to the left, "Who knows? Why-you feel like slumming?"_

_Nathan stared at him for a brief second before laughing and playfully hitting him in the arm as they both took off down the hall._

_Later that day, Nathan sat in his English class bored out of his mind. He "listened" as the teacher went on and on about stuff he had not interest in whatsoever. He looked to his left and saw Brooke sitting in the desk next to him. She looked just as bored as he was. A picture in the crease of her book caught his eye. It was a picture of Brooke and that girl. Brooke was in her cheerleading uniform while the other girl was in a similar outfit to what she was wearing today, but he noticed she had an apron tied around her waist that said 'Karen's Cafe' on the lower right corner. He didn't know why, but for some reason he was fascinated by this girl. There was just something about her._

* * *

><p><em>Nathan looked through the window of the cafe for any sign of the petite blonde. Due to the emptiness inside, he easily spotted her behind the counter. This was becoming a small routine for him. This whole summer he found himself purposely driving or walking by this cafe to see if she was working. He couldn't really explain it, but he felt this sort of pull towards her. He found her fascinating and he didn't even know who she was. He knew she was a tutor but that's about it. Based on the way she dresses, he guessed she was one of those "good girls". But then again, she was apparently friends with Brooke Davis so maybe she wasn't as "good" as he thought.<em>

_He continued to stare through the window deciding if today was the day he was actually going to go inside when he noticed she was talking to some guy sitting on the stool across the counter from her. He took a closer look realizing it was Lucas. To be a little more technical-Lucas Scott, his half brother. What the hell was Lucas doing there? He mentally questioned before rolling his eyes at his own ignorance. This was Karen's Cafe, and Karen is Lucas' mom. It's only natural that he would be there._

_He watched as they made what he presumed to be idle chit chat. He couldn't help but notice how comfortable they seemed to be with one another. He did not like that one bit. He watched as Lucas stood up from the stool. Realizing Lucas was on his way out of the cafe, he quickly retreated down the street and waited around the corner. After a few seconds when he was sure Lucas was out of the picture, he walked back towards the cafe and once again watched her through the window as she greeted some customers. Finally, he opened the door to the cafe and walked inside. Making his way towards the counter, he observed her as she filled some salt containers. He looked to his left and noticed Lucy Smith. He cringed slightly-he had no idea she worked here. He just prayed that she didn't notice him or that she chose to avoid him since that was his whole plan for her._

_Getting Lucy out of his mind, he focused his attention to the other-the reason why he came in here in the first place. Arriving at the counter, he waited for her to turn around. As the seconds went by, he grew more and more impatient. Clearing his throat loudly, "Excuse me." That caught her attention as she turned around-blue eyes meeting brown._

_"Can I help you?" She asked._

_Nathan was confused with her somewhat cold tone and decided to play around with her a bit. "Yeah, you can get her for me." He stated smugly pointing in the direction where Lucy was standing. He watched as her eyes traveled over to her right._

_"Go to her yourself. Your feet don't look broken. They managed to bring you through the door, and I'm sure they'll manage to take you over there as well." She replied not bothering to hide the disgust within her voice._

_Nathan was taken aback by this girl. Who did she think she was? Did she even know who she was dealing with? "PMSing today?" He bit back._

_"Excuse me?" She stated with her mouth dropped open._

_"I asked...if you were PMSing today? You certainly act like you are."_

_"And you act like the world is just supposed to stop and cater to anything you want. I don't think so, buddy. If you want to go talk to little miss dumb bimbo over there, then go do it yourself. I am not part of your passe who doesn't know how to think for themselves. And just what are you doing in here anyway?" She quipped._

_This girl was proving to be pretty damn amusing. "Last time I checked, this was a public establishment which gives me free reign to come in if I'd like." He countered._

_"That may be true, but this isn't exactly your 'neck of the woods' so what are you doing here?" She challenged._

_"Why to see you. Isn't it obvious?" He stated smirking._

_"You're a pig. Is there a reason for the way you act or is this unfortunately how you normally are? Is this just the typical Nathan Scott personality that the world is so accustomed to? Yah for me and everyone else if that's the case." She responded sarcastically._

_"You don't even know me so I don't know why you're acting so hostile towards me." He said feeling his own anger intensifying._

_"I know plenty about you-King Nathan, basketball God and ruler of Tree Hill High. Please, get over yourself."_

_Now he was pissed off. "And who are you? A nobody. And don't think I haven't seen you around school. You're always hanging out with Brooke. What are you trying to do? Get in good with the popular crowd. Well, guess what, you'll never fit in with our group. You don't belong there so stop trying. It's actually pathetic." He argued refusing to stand there and let her talk to him like that._

_"You don't know anything about me or my friendship with Brooke."_

_"And you don't know anything about me so I guess that makes us even." He countered. He could practically feel the anger radiating from her as she glared at him._

_"Do you actually want something?" She asked._

_Nathan looked her up and down and smirked feeling all of his previous anger slowly dissipating from his body. "Yeah." He stated as he watched her reach for her menu pad. "You're right about Lucy. She's been around too many times. Besides, I've already been down that road with her. Let's just say, she wouldn't be worth another go around if you know what I mean." He began and his smirk only grew as she let out a scoff. "But you...I bet we could have some fun together. So what do you say? You and me-in the back freezer?" He finished before feeling a cold, wet substance thrown into his face. Wiping the water away as well as he could, he opened his eyes and glared at her as she was placing a clear, empty glass down on the counter. "What the hell was that?"_

_"That was me refusing to serve you. You can turn around and leave now." She stated._

_"Bitch." Nathan mumbled furiously turning around and walking out of the cafe. He could not believe she had thrown water in his face like that. It was bad enough when she was saying those things, but she had definitely crossed the line with the water throwing. Nobody talks and treats him like that. He was Nathan Scott. Who was she? She was nothing-a nobody._

* * *

><p><em>Nathan walked out of his bedroom with a smirk evident on his face. He smoothed out his now wrinkled shirt and made sure every other item of clothing he was wearing was in place and put together. He could hear the blaring music as he walked down the stairs. Sending a nod towards a few people he passed along the way, he entered the kitchen and immediately found Jake, Skills, and a few other players from the basketball team standing around the island playing some beer pong. He was instantly greeted.<em>

_"And where have you been?" Skills asked smirking._

_Nathan didn't answer-just smirked right back as the other guys laughed._

_"Where's the lucky lady?" Jake asked._

_"I don't know. Once I was finished, I took the sheet and walked into the bathroom. When I came back, she was gone." He answered disinterested. "Where are the girls? And I mean Lucas, too." He joked changing the subject._

_"Well, Lucas and Brooke are making good use of one of the bedrooms, I think." Jake began. "And the rest of the girls were in the living room the last time I checked."_

_"Well, here you go, man." Skills said handing Nathan a plastic cup filled with beer. "I'm about to school your ass in a little beer pong."_

_"Bring it on, Skills." Nathan challenged._

_Ten minutes later, Peyton along with some other girls on the cheerleading team as well as a few others came walzting into the kitchen laughing hysterically at something as they approached the guys standing by the island. Nathan noticed that Haley, the bane of his existance, was missing from the group. Probably retreated home when she saw there was drinking. He mentally thought. "Where's the prude?"_

_Peyton rolled her eyes. She never understood why Nathan and Haley hated each other so much. Of course, she understood considering they were so different, but their hate for each other went way out of normal levels. "I think she went outside to get some fresh air. She wasn't feeling too well earlier."_

_"What? Did she drink too much?" Nathan scoffed before laughing since that thought was simply ludicrous._

_"No. I've watched her. She's been drinking water all night. She did have one diet Pepsi but that's all." Peyton answered._

_"Well, you see, Peyton, that was a rhetorical question. Like Haley...Saint Haley James would ever be caught dead drinking a drop of alcohol. That would taint her whole perfect personna she carries with her all of the damn time." Nathan said._

_"Nathan, why are you such a jackass ninety-five percent of the time? Nevermind, don't answer that because it's also a rhetorical question." Peyton retorted mimicking his earlier comment._

_"Whatever. I'm going to go mingle." He stated as he started walking away from the island and out of the kitchen._

_"Yeah, go find the next meaningless whore to go screw and leave behind." Peyton hollered after him._

_Nathan shook his head and laughed as he walked through the hall smirking at a couple girls he walked by. Arriving at the French double doors which led to the back porch, he immediately ran into another body. He quickly caught the person as they stumbled back. It was then that he noticed the person he was holding up was Haley. "Haley?" He questioned. He took a good look at her-she looked out of it. "Are you drunk?" He asked. He saw the cup which was surprisingly still in her right hand. He quickly grabbed it bringing it up to his nose smelling the substance inside. It only smelled like Pepsi-maybe diet Pepsi. "Haley, have you had anything to drink other than pop and water?"_

_"I don't...I don't know." She stammered taking her right index finger and thumb and pinching the top of her nose scrunching her forehead._

_"Have you talked to anyone tonight aside from the girls?" He questioned. He was quickly coming to the realization that it was probable that someone had actually slipped something in her drink. That was something he doesn't tolerate. He was known for sleeping around, but he didn't have to drug girls or get them majorly drunk to get them into bed. They came out of their own free will. Using any other method was simply repulsive to him. He wasn't a monster. Haley never did respond which he pretty much expected. "Come on...we're going to go find Brooke and Lucas to take you home." He said dumping the drink out and placing the empty cup onto a nearby table before making sure she was secure in his arms._

_"Nathan." She moaned._

_"Yeah." He replied surprised she even knew who he was._

_"I don't feel well."_

_"I'm going to take you upstairs, okay. You just have to help me out, but I promise you'll feel better once we get up there." He reassured brushing some of the fallen hair out of her face deciding it was time for plan B. She did a hint of a nod as he helped her place her hands around his neck as he hoisted her up slightly so his hands were wrapped more around her hips. He led them, with some struggle, up the stairs. Stopping in front of his bedroom, he fished into his jeans for the key to his bedroom and unlocked the door leading them inside. Dropping her onto the bed, he made sure she was okay before going over to his dresser and pulling out one of his Ravens basketball t-shirts as well as a pair of grey sweatpants. Closing the drawer, he turned and walked back over to the bed. "I'm sorry, but this is all I have." He apologized before noticing she was completely passed out._

_He took a moment trying to decide what he should do. She was in no shape to go anywhere. Even if he found Lucas and Brooke or someone who was sober to take her home, he really didn't think she should go. He felt it was better to just keep her here and let her sleep it off. Besides, he didn't want to worry her mother. He didn't know Lydia James very well, but considering how good of a girl her daughter was, he didn't know if taking her home like this was the best option. Next he thought about getting her changed. He didn't want her to sleep in her clothes. She was wearing a form fitting brown v-neck sleeveless top and a pair of jeans-jeans which actually showed off her figure. She looked good. He quickly rid himself of those thoughts-this was so not the time. She clearly couldn't undress and dress herself, and he didn't feel comfortable and right to do it for her basically against her will._

_Making sure she was okay, he left his bedroom and went downstairs straight into the kitchen where all of his friends, minus Lucas and Brooke, were still standing around drinking and conversing. "Hey, Peyton. Can you come with me? I need your help." He said approaching them._

_"Okay, Nathan. I'm going to make this short and sweet...all you have to do is tear the foil and the condom will just magically appear." She teased as everyone laughed._

_"Haha." He deadpanned not in the mood to deal with her jokes. "Look, can you please just come with me?"_

_Peyton eyed him suspiciously until realizing he was being serious right now. "Sure. I'll be back." She told the others._

_"Nate, don't try anything with my girl." Jake hollered jokingly._

_Once Nathan and Peyton made it up the stairs and into his bedroom, she immediately rushed over to the bed. "What happened to her?"_

_"I think someone slipped something in her drink." He answered._

_"Oh my gosh. What kind of jackass does something like that?" She asked rhetorically._

_"It wasn't me." He quickly defended himself. He could only imagine how he would be blamed for this._

_"Oh, Nathan, you may be a lot of things but I know you would never do anything like this." She said._

_"I don't think it's anything serious. I think she just needs to sleep it off and everything will be fine. I brought her up here so nobody will bother her or try anything else considering I was planning on locking her in here."_

_"That's a good idea." She agreed._

_"I just...I figured she might be more comfortable if she wasn't wearing that." He said pointing towards Haley's body sprawled along the bed. "I was hoping you could go ahead and help her get dressed and stuff."_

_"Of course." She readily replied._

_He pointed towards the sweatpants and t-shirt he had left on the bed before leaving the two girls alone in the bedroom._

_Peyton stared at the closed door in surprise. She turned back towards Haley who was still passed out, "Well, who knew Nathan Scott could be such a gentleman." She stated before reaching for the clothes._

_The next morning, Haley groaned as she turned over in the bed. Feeling the difference of the mattress she was laying on as well as the scent which had a cologne type of smell, she opened her eyes immediately realizing she wasn't in her own bed or even Brooke's bed. She began to have a slight panic attack as to where the heck she was. Sitting up abruptly, she paused as the blood rushed to her head causing a migraine. "Oh my gosh." She moaned. Once she felt somewhat normal, she noticed her clothes from the night before folded neatly in a pile on the dresser. She looked down and looked at what she was wearing._

_Throwing the comforter off of her body, she climbed out of the bed before making her way out of the room and down the stairs cautiously. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know what happened the night before. She noticed about five bodies sprawled along the floor and furniture throughout the house. She arrived in the kitchen where she noticed Nathan standing with his back turned to her in front of the refergerator with the door open chugging a bottled water. She definitely noticed he was shirtless with only a pair of basketball shorts on. She could see the sweat glistening from his body. Taking a moment to collect herself, she felt the panic set it once again. Why the hell was she at Nathan's house. "Nathan?"_

_Nathan jumped at the sound of another voice as he dropped the bottle he was drinking from and felt the cold water splash on him. "Damn it!" He exclaimed as he turned around and noticed Haley standing in the entryway to the kitchen. "You couldn't have waited until I was finished or something." He bit out. If he wasn't so angry, he would have taken a moment to appreciate the view of her wearing his clothes with the t-shirt almost swimming on her and the sweatpants which were just as baggy, and he could tell they were rolled a couple of times at the waist._

_"Get over it." Haley said rolling her eyes. "Do you mind telling me what I'm doing here? In your clothes I presume?" She questioned jumping straight to the point._

_"Look, I don't want you to freak out..." He began and watched her eyes widen slightly. So far so good. He stated sarcastically in his head. __"We're pretty sure someone slipped something in your drink last night." He revealed slowly._

_"What?" She exclaimed._

_"Nothing happened." He quickly interjected. "And it definitely didn't get that far, okay. You were just a little tipsy and out of it." He quickly added._

_"Oh my gosh. I...what happened? Who did that?" She questioned. She could feel the knots forming in her stomach. She actually felt sick and found herself taking a seat on one of the stools by the island._

_"I don't know. I, umm...Peyton found you. You were by yourself, and we took you upstairs so you could sleep it off. I gave her some clothes to change you into, and you've been upstairs sleeping ever since." He explained lying about some of the events. He didn't want her to know that it was he who found her. He didn't know why, but he just didn't._

_"Are you sure nothing else happened? I mean, maybe whoever slipped something in my drink saw you guys taking me upstairs."_

_"No, nothing happened. I gave Peyton the key, and she locked you inside. I promise you nothing happened." He reassured her which was the truth considering he checked on her fluently throughout the night which he was feeling the effects of this morning with how exhausted he was. He even had to go for a run to try to keep himself awake. He planned on taking a shower and climbing right into his bed and passing out once his bed was free again. He watched the many emotions playing across her face, and he actually found himself growing really uncomfortable. He couldn't deal with the emotions right now. "Jake and Peyton stayed here last night, and they said whenever you were up and ready they would take you home."_

_Haley nodded, "Okay. Thank you, Nathan." She said quietly as she still tried to process all of this. She needed to find Peyton and talk to her. That would make her feel better and more comfortable._

_"Whatever." He shook it off as if it wasn't a big deal. "Anyway, are you done taking over my bedroom now, because I would actually like to have my bed back?" He asked snidely._

_"Yes." She answered curtly. Now there was the real jackass Nathan she was normally accustomed to._

* * *

><p><em>Nathan stood in the cafe greeting countless people as they came up patting him on the back and offering out their congratulations. He realized as he got older and used to it, he still never grew tired of hearing praises on a job well done-especially when it was concerning basketball. Tonight was a big highlight for him. Tonight was the night he was celebrating. Just hours earlier, the Ravens had won the State Championship. Finally, after three years of hard work and dedication and constant nagging, Nathan had finally won. He was finally rewarded in a positive way. He finally got to celebrate something positive about the sport he loved to play-the sport he lived for and breathed.<em>

_He felt another pat on his back, and he turned. He instantly felt his high deflating when he saw his father standing behind him. He could only imagine what Dan Scott had to say about the way he played. "Dad." He acknowledged._

_"Good game, son." Dan said._

_Nathan waited for some snide remark to come. He waited and then waited a few more seconds but none came. Was his father actually complimenting him without adding in some form of negative feedback as well? He wasn't sure how to handle this or respond to this. He has never been in this position before. With Dan it was always positive-negative or negative-negative but never positive-positive. "Thanks." He said cautiously._

_Dan nodded._

_When Nathan didn't say anything after that, he finally let it sink in that he had just received his father's complete support. He was still somewhat apprehensive to accept it. He stood there awkwardly trying to decide what he should do. Should he try to start up an actual conversation-a real conversation with his dad or should he simply thank him and find an excuse to get away from him? "I have to go to the bathroom so I'll see you at home later tonight." He said gesturing towards the bathrooms. Yup, he decided it was better to escape now before it turned ugly and his good mood was ruined completely._

_"Yeah. I actually have to head to the dealership to catch up on some paperwork. I just thought I'd tell you it was a good game-at least when you weren't playing like crap."_

_It was too good to be true. Nathan thought bitterly._

_"For a minute there, I thought you were going to cost us everything. You played really terrible at the beginning. But somehow you managed to get that back. You actually played decent that last half. Thank God, because the team is worthless without you and even more worthless with you playing like crap."_

_"Thanks for the support." Nathan mumbled._

_"Any time." Dan said causing Nathan to roll his eyes. "But what the hell was up with you passing that ball to Lucas? I mean, really, Nate? You gave up the last shot. A shot that you should have nailed but you threw it away. I bet the scouts loved that."_

_"Scouts? Dad, I have already been accepted to Duke on a full scholarship. I don't think they're going to revoke that because I passed the ball and took a chance to win the game rather than tie it up." Nathan defended himself._

_"It was a cheap shot. But hey, if you're okay with knowing it was Lucas who made the game winning shot then I guess that's all that matters." Dan stated sarcastically._

_"Well, thanks again." Nathan said quickly before turning around and walking away._

_Haley walked up the stairs leading to the roof of the cafe for a breather. Most people downstairs were getting ready to head home. She told Karen she'd stay after everyone left and help clean up. She wasn't really in the mood to get home tonight. Her mother had to wake up early in the morning for work, and she didn't want to risk waking her up when she came home so she sent her a text message saying she was going to stay here and then head over to Brooke's for the night._

_Stepping outside, she noticed another person sitting on the bench with their back to her. She walked closer and realized it was Nathan. She wondered what he was doing up here hiding away from the crowd. She rounded the picnic table and took a seat on the bench next to him with a little distance between them. "Good game tonight." She complimented._

_"Whatever." He mumbled under his breath._

_Haley turned towards him confused. He just won the State Championship. What was with his attitude? "Are you okay?"_

_"Is there a reason why you're sitting here talking to me trying to act all nice?" He bit out._

_"Is there a reason why you have to be such an asshole when all I was doing was trying to be a decent person who was genuinely asking if you were okay and trying to carry on a civilized conversation?" She quipped right back._

_The two sat there silently as they stared straight ahead. Finally after a couple of minutes, Nathan finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry."_

_"What was that? I didn't hear you."_

_"Look, I'm sorry." He said in a louder voice still laced with irritation at actually having to apologize. And he knew what she was doing right now. Like the bitch she was, she was just messing with him. But she still didn't deserve for him to yell at her when she technically didn't do anything. But he really did hate apologizing to her. "I'm just not in the best mood."_

_"Why? You just won. You should be all happy and celebrating right now." She said exaggerating some excitement maybe in a way to try and cheer him up._

_"I was."_

_"So what changed?" She questioned._

_Nathan thought about baring everything out to her right then and there, but he just didn't want to go down that road again. "It's nothing." He began. He looked at her and could have sworn he saw her face fall slightly, but he shook it off. "I just had to get away for a little bit. I'm fine, though."_

_Haley nodded accepting his answer. It's not like she actually expected him to open up to her or anything. Why start now?_

_"I better head back downstairs." Nathan said gesturing towards the stairs leading down to the cafe. "Some of the guys are going out tonight to celebrate, and I should probably go get ready so I can meet them." He added standing up._

_"Okay." She responded simply. He sent her a nod before heading towards the doorway. Right when he approached it, she called out to him and watched as he turned around to face her. "You played great tonight, and you deserve to feel it and celebrate that."_

_"Thanks, Hales." He said in appreciation catching her gaze one final time opening the door and heading downstairs._

* * *

><p><em>Haley sat in her chair on the stage as her fellow classmates were called to receive their diplomas and walked across the platform. She looked out into the crowd and immediately caught Brooke's eye who playfully stuck her tongue out at her. Haley winked in return as the two girls let out a quiet laugh. Hearing Lucas' name said into the microphone, she looked at him and smiled. Next Nathan's name was called. As he walked by her, he smirked and winked seductively at her. Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes in annoyance as well as amusement. Once everyone was called and back in their seats Principal Turner called her, "And finally, this years class valedictoria, Haley James." Cheers sounded as Haley made her way up to the podium.<em>

_"Distinguished guest, parents, and this year's graduating class...a friend of mine," she began pausing momentarily sharing a look with Lucas who smiled in return, "reminded me of a quote by William Shakespear which seems appropriate._

_'There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. But omitted and the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves-or lose the ventures before us.'_

_I think what that quote means is that life is short and opportunities are rare, and we have to be vigilant in protecting them and not only the opportunities to succeed but the opportunities to laugh and see the enchantment in the world and to live. Because life doesn't own us anything. As a matter of fact, I think that we owe something to the world. Now is the time for us to shine, a time when our dreams are within reach and possibilities vast. Now is the time for all of us to become the people we've always dreamed of being. This is your world. You're here. You matter. The world is waiting."_

_Half an hour later, the courtyard in front of the school was packed with students and their families and friends all over the grassy and cemented areas. Haley laughed as she was wrapped tightly in her mother's embrace. An embrace they've been entertwined in for at least five minutes now as Lydia cried tears of joy. "Mom, do you think you can let me go? I kind of can't breathe."_

_"I'm sorry." Lydia said backing out of their hug. "I'm just so proud of my baby-graduating from high school and as the valedictorian as well. And next you're going to be leaving for Stanford in just a couple short months. Have I told you how proud of you I am?"_

_"Only a couple hundred times." Haley teased._

_"Well, two hundred and one-I am so proud of you. I love you so much." Lydia declared._

_"Thank you, mom. I love you, too." Haley stated._

_"Mama James!" A voice exclaimed barracating between the mother and daughter._

_"Brooke Davis." Lydia stated. "Congratulations, honey. And look at you-don't you look breathtaking."_

_"Oh, stop." Brooke said waving her hand. "And I know." She couldn't help but add as all three of them laughed._

_"Well, I need a photo of my two girls on their graduation day." Lydia said._

_Haley and Brooke quickly wrapped their arms around each other with their chests touching as well as their cheeks. After a few more pictures, the two girls finally managed to get Lydia to put away her camera with much protest. "Now, Brooke..." Lydia began capturing their attention. "You take my way too responsible daughter out tonight. She has the night free to do whatever she wants. It's a day and night for you guys to celebrate with each other and your other friends. And I don't want to see or hear her coming home until tomorrow. Do you understand me?"_

_"Of course. You can always count on me, Mama James. I'll make sure she parties it up doing all of the reckless, immature things your mind could possibly conjure up." Brooke assured with a wink._

_Lydia returned the gesture before turning towards Haley who was laughing and shaking her head. "Okay, give me a hug." She ordered as she once again embraced her daughter in a tight hug. "Go have fun tonight. You deserve it. I love you."_

_"Thanks, mom."_

_Ten minutes later, Haley was standing in the parking lot waiting for Brooke who was off talking to Keith and Karen with Lucas. She was still in her graduation gown with it zipped open revealing her purple sundress which stopped a little below her mid-thighs. It was spaghetti strapped with a horizontal neckline and a purple strap across the waist in the same shade of purple as the rest of the dress._

_She surveyed all of the people walking around the parking lot to their cars smiling at a few who passed her by. It was such a beautiful day-the sun was shining without a cloud in sight. The day seemed pretty fitting for a graduation ceremony._

_She was caught up in her thoughts when she heard a pair of feet shuffling closer to her. She looked in front of her and saw Nathan walking towards her. He, too, was still in his graduation gown with it zipped open revealing the dark khaki pants and black button down dress shirt he was wearing underneath._

_"That was a great speech." He complimented._

_"Whatever. I know you weren't paying attention." She countered as he buckled admitting that was true. "So were you just trying to be nice for a change or something? Is Nathan Scott finally turning over a new leaf?" She asked teasingly._

_"Why would I do that? We've got such a good thing going here. It would be such a shame to mess it up."_

_"Such a shame." She agreed sharing a smiled with him-an actual sincere smile. "So..." She began as he came to lean up against the pale blue Volkswagon Beetle alongside of her. "Are you ready to party tonight?"_

_"Of course. One final hurrah until we are all off to college." He answered._

_"You're still going to that basketball camp, right?" She asked as he nodded. "When do you leave?"_

_"Two weeks."_

_"Wow. That's really soon." She stated._

_"Yup." He said. Turning towards her he smirked, "You gonna miss me?"_

_Haley scoffed, "No."_

_"Right." He said drawling out the word. "It's okay, Hales, you can admit it. You're going to miss me, and you know it. Come on, Haley James." He said as he playfully wrapped his arms around her shoulders laughing while pulling her into his embrace. "Admit it. Tell me you're going to miss me."_

_"Nathan, stop. Get away from me." Haley protested trying to push him away from her unsuccessfully as he only tightened his embrace. "Fine, I'm going to miss you." She conceded as she, too, began laughing._

_For a few minutes they both reveled in this moment. There was no fighting, no name calling, no banter-at least negative banter-they simply acted as...friends. Friends who were taking a moment together before going their separate ways after high school. __"Oh!" A voice exclaimed causing them to break apart suddenly their previous moment broken. They turned and noticed Lucas and Brooke making their way towards them._

_"You can jump apart but don't think we didn't see that." Brooke teased as she and Lucas were now standing in front of them. "You know...I have dozens of pictures of everyone else today-together, separately...you name it. But I don't have a single picture of my best friend and my future brother-in-law."_

_"That's a little presumptuous of you, isn't it, Brooke?" Nathan asked._

_"Oh, shut up, Nathan. Lucas and I are going to get married. Duh! Where have you been?" Brooke bit out as the other three rolled their eyes in amusement as well as annoyance. "Anyway, that is so not the point to this. Get together. I need a picture. And then I need a picture of the four of us together." She said holding the camera in her hand and waving it around._

_"Brooke, I don't think that..."_

_"Get together right now!" Brooke ordered forcefully interrupting her best friend._

_Nathan and Haley quickly stepped close to one another once again. He wrapped his arms around her shoulds clasping his hands at the small of her back as she wrapped her hands securely around his waist. With her being considerably shorter than him, her head was resting at the base of his neck with his chin resting above her head. And like before, they felt that moment where there was no arguments, no name calling, no banter-they simply reveled in it once again. Reveled in feeling as if they were actually friends. Reveled in sharing one last embrace before they parted ways._

* * *

><p><em>Nathan tied the shoelaces of his tennis shoes as he sat on the bench in the locker room. He had been in Florida now for three weeks at High Flyers, and he was loving every minute of it. He was playing basketball. He was enjoying the Florida nightlife. And he was out of that house and away from his dad. He couldn't think of a better way to spend his summer.<em>

_"Hey, Nate. A bunch of us are going to The Block tonight. Are you coming?"_

_"Definitely." Nathan answered immediately._

_Hours later, pretty much every guy from the camp were at the club dancing and drinking-just in general having a good time. Nathan had quickly become friends with all of the guys especially his roommate Tony Battle. It seemed as if all of the others had the same feelings about basketball and life as he did. They loved to party and when they weren't out enjoying the nightlife or playing basketball on an actual court, they were playing some NBA Live on the television in the main meeting room of their dorms._

_Nathan pulled out his wallet as he went to put a couple of loose bills in the folds when it was swiped unexpectantly from his hands. He looked up and saw Tony standing up from the table waving the wallet in the air._

_"Lookie here...Nate's offered to buy us the next round!" Tony exclaimed with a smug laugh. __Nathan shook his head in amusement as he watched Tony opening the wallet reaching to pull out some money. __"Well, well, well...what do we have here?" Tony asked taking a seat once again._

_Nathan noticed what he was pulling out of his wallet and reached to grab it. "No...stop. Give that to me." He protested groaning when Tony had already pulled out the object._

_"And who is this?" Tony asked showing the picture to all of the other guys._

_Nathan looked at the picture in his hands-it was the picture of him and Haley from graduation. He never told anyone that he had managed to swipe the picture from Lucas. He still remembered the first time he saw it. Brooke had brought over some copies from that day to Lucas just a couple days after graduation. Lucas went to the bathroom while he continued to sift through the pictures. When he arrived at the one of Haley and him, he stopped suddenly admiring it. He remembered smiling instantly, and before he even realized what he was doing, he took the picture out of the rest of the pile and quickly slipped it in his back pocket right before Lucas came walking back into the room. He's had it folded safely in his wallet ever since._

_"It's nobody." He dismissed._

_"Nobody. Oh, I don't know about that. I thought you said you didn't have a girlfriend." Tony stated._

_"I don't. She is not my girlfriend." Nathan said firmly._

_"Really? Well, most guys don't carry pictures of girls around in their wallet if she isn't a girlfriend. Wait...is she your sister?"_

_"What? Hell no! She is not my sister." Nathan cringed at that thought. The thought of Haley being his sister deeply disturbed him. That was the last thing he wanted to think of her as._

_"So you just have a picture of this girl you claim isn't your girlfriend just hanging out in your wallet." Tony continued to tease. He could sense that he was testing Nathan's patience right now which he was actually finding pretty amusing. "Well, whoever she is...I've gotta hand it to ya, Nate, she's pretty damn hot."_

_Nathan quickly snatched the picture from Tony's hands as all of the guys surrounding him were laughing hysterically. He ignored them as he stared at the picture. They both looked so happy and carefree. He understood why Tony was saying the things he was. To any outsider looking at the picture, it looked as if they were a couple or at least close friends. And Haley did look insanely beautiful. She had this big, boisterous smile which illuminated her whole face. It was hard to believe she was really standing next to and posing with him considering he was never the one who made her smile like that._

* * *

><p><em>Haley stretched her arms above her head feeling and hearing her bones crack. She couldn't help but let out a satisfying moan as she felt her body instantly feel a little better and more relaxed. Wanting that to continue, she closed her eyes and rolled her neck a few times trying to alleviate some tension there as well. She jumped slightly when she felt a pair of hands land on her shoulders but relaxed realizing it was just Nick. Heck, she almost forgot he was even in the room.<em>

_"Gosh, you are really tense right now." Nick stated as he gently began massaging her shoulders._

_"I'm exhausted. I don't know how much more researching and writing I can handle right now."_

_"How far along are you on your Lit paper?" He questioned._

_"I have ten of the fifteen pages required written. I'll tell you one thing-when I'm finished with this paper, if I never hear the words 'Absolute Truth' ever again in my life I will be extremely happy."_

_"Why don't you take a break?" He suggested. "You've been working on that paper for hours now not to mention the number of hours you've spent on it this whole week. You're already more than halfway done with it, and it's not due for three more days."_

_"I can't. I really hav..."_

_Haley was interrupted when Nick swung her chair along with her around facing him. He took her hands in his and pulled her up leading her back to the bed. "Come on, Haley." He urged as he turned her around and gently pushed her down onto her bed. "You sit there and relax. Take a breather." He instructed as they both climbed further up the bed making themselves comfortable. "See...don't you feel your body relaxing?"_

_"I suppose." She mumbled._

_Nick chuckled at her. She was almost impossible to deal with when she became so immersed in her schoolwork. He could still feel how tense her body was as he lay next to her. He shook his head amused before turning and noticing a pile of pictures on a white envelope on the nightstand next to her bed. "What are these?" He asked reaching for them. He began flipping through them._

_Haley looked at what he was inquiring about. "Oh, those are a bunch of pictures Brooke sent me from our senior year. Just a few random ones throughout the entire year. She sent a little note along with it saying she plans to send me pictures throughout my four years here to help me 'remember' them back home in North Carolina. I swear, she acts like I'm not going to see her again for years. I'm going to see her in a month when I go home for the summer." She answered with a laugh as she saddled further into his side so she could look at them with him. She smiled seeing all of her fondest memories practically replaying in front of her. There were pictures from the weekend they spent at Rachel's cabin, from basketball games, cheerleading tournaments, prom, graduation-group shots and individual shots as well as duo shots. There were probably four dozen in that pile alone and the sad thing is that Haley knows Brooke has a ton more._

_"You had quite a close group of friends, didn't you?" Nick questioned passing through a group shot of everyone from prom as well as graduation._

_"Yeah. We were...are really close. Gosh, I miss them terribly."_

_"What are they all doing?" He asked continuing to sift through the pictures._

_"Well, Brooke is at community college for design as you know. Her boyfriend, Lucas, is at UNCW. Unless his plans have changed, he wants to be a writer. He was always like me-really fascinated in reading poems and literature. Jake and Peyton are both at Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia. Peyton is this artistic, moody girl who gets mistaken as a bitch..." Haley began laughing. "But she is such a sweet person and an amazing friend. She just has a hard time expressing herself if it doesn't involve her art or her music. Jake is studying...well, actually, I don't really know what he's studying. I think maybe music, but I'm not sure. Anyway, Jake and Peyton just recently got engaged actually. Jake has a three year old daughter who's mom is out of the picture and a complete mess anyway, and Peyton's going to be adopting her." Haley continued on gushing about Skills, Bevin, Rachel, Mouth, Junk, and Fergie._

_Nick smiled as he watched and listened to her. She was glowing as she talked about her friends from back home. He listened while looking through the pictures. He stopped suddenly when he came across one picture. It was obviously from graduation based on the blue gowns they were both wearing. "And what's the deal with him?" He asked. He couldn't explain it but he actually felt jealousy stirring within him. It was crazy, but there was just something about the way they were holding each other that caused him to feel it._

_Haley looked over at the picture he was currently entranced in and saw it was a picture of Nathan and her at graduation. "Oh...umm...well, that's Nathan. He is actually Lucas' brother-well, half brother. You know-Brooke's boyfriend, Lucas." She began as Nick nodded. "Yeah, well, they're half brothers. Same dad; different mom. Nathan is at Duke University on a full basketball scholarship. He's like obsessed with the sport and wants to play professionally or whatever."_

_That jealousy feeling still stirred in the pit of his stomach as she continued to talk about this Nathan guy. "So...I'm guessing you guys were pretty close." He stated._

_"Who? Me and Nathan? Oh, gosh no." She quickly denied chuckling a little which confused him. "Nathan and I are far far far from close. I don't even think you could technically call us friends. I mean, we had the same friends in high school and we were in the same 'clique' but WE were not friends. No, no...no no no. Definitely not close."_

_"Okay. I think I get it. You and Nathan are not friends." He said with a small laugh. He couldn't help but think she protested a bit too much but decided against dwelling on it. Haley was his girlfriend. They were together and happy, and he was quickly falling in love with her. Things between them were perfect so he didn't have anything to worry about._

**There you go. I hope you enjoyed it even without Nathan and Haley in the present. And next chapter gets us back to present day and Naley seeing one another again. Please let me know what you think.**

**Hopefully, I'll have another chapter for you guys soon.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Back with another update! I know, I know...I suck! :) I'm three months away from my due date, and I've been working like crazy trying to get everything ready. Yeah, I'm only like 20% ready. LOL!**

**Like usual, thanks for all of the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. And as always, a huge thanks to soulandspirit (chapters 1-5), Skittlesgurl87, chase the memories, Othfan48, ****J. Caroline, HBJHOTH23 (chapter 23), courtneylovejason, Othfan25, naleyluv, Steffsche, Ellie, luvnit, rosepetal16, kaya17tj, thekellay, and JamesLover23 for taking the time to review. You guys are all so awesome and encouraging with your words. Much love!**

**Someone asked about the Baley friendship and when/how it began...Haley and Brooke were friends long before Lucas and Brooke started dating. ****They met in kindergarten when they were six years old. I actually wrote about it pretty vaguely in chapter two so if you want to go reference it, that's the chapter you will find it in. I hope that answers those questions. If anyone has any others, feel free to ask. ;)**

**So that's all I have to say so let's start reading!**

_June 23, 2012_

"Sophie!" Haley hollered as she rushed all over the house in search of the little girl who apparently thought playing 'Hide & Seek' right now was more fun and important than getting ready. "Sophie Elizabeth Scott!" She hollered even louder than before. She checked the living room, the bathroom even though she knew she had closed the doors, the kitchen, and the dining room-everywhere and couldn't find her. She didn't bother checking upstairs considering it was blocked off and there was no way Sophie was getting around the gate. She could feel herself growing slightly more panicked. She was already feeling frazzled. Both she and Sophie needed to get dressed. Luckily, Karen should be here any minute to help her with getting Sophie dressed so she, herself, could shower and dress. Not being able to find Sophie was causing her stress level to increase more and more.

Today was Sophie's second birthday. Her party was starting at twelve, and it was currently ten. Thankfully, Haley had pretty much everything all set up and ready to go. The decorations were up, the tables were set up outside, the food was prepared whether it was warming in some crock pots or cooling down in the refrigerator...the only thing that wasn't ready were Haley and Sophie. Walking past an open window, she smiled at the sun shining beautifully. Checking the weather report avidly this past week, she was extremely thankful for what was supposed to be a sunny day with no chance of rain. So far so good.

"Sophie!" Haley hollered once again walking through the kitchen and back through the very short hallway and into the laundry room. She let out a sigh of relief mixed with a small laugh when she saw Sophie standing in the middle of the room throwing clothes-clean, neatly folded clothes to be exact-out of the plastic hamper all over the floor around her. It didn't take long before Sophie noticed her. Haley placed her hands on her her hips in mock anger as Sophie giggled. If she wasn't super adorable right now, Haley probably would have allowed herself to actually be angry. "Cothes." The little girl said pointing to the hamper.

Haley couldn't help but giggle herself. Sophie was beginning to 'say' a few more words. Some were becoming clearer while others were still a little incomprehensible. The one word that was very clear was 'mommy' which she said all of the time making Haley's heart melt anytime she heard it. She lowered down to her knees as she began gathering all of the clothes. "Okay, sweetie, we need to put this stuff away. Can you help mommy, please?" She asked and Sophie immediately began helping her. The faint sound of the doorbell sounding caused Haley to smile. "Who's that, Sophie? Huh...who's that? Is that Grandma? I think it is." She said pushing herself up from the floor and walking out of the room. "I'm going to go let Grandma in." She walked through the house until she was in the foyer and standing in front of the front door. Swinging it open, her breath caught in her throat. Definitely not Karen like she thought. "Nathan." She stated breathlessly. It's been three whole weeks since she last saw him-since she last spoke with him. She's sent him a few pictures of Sophie, but that was really their only form of communication.

She took the time to check him out as he stood in front of her in a pair of dark khaki shorts and a baby blue polo shirt. She couldn't help but wonder if he tried torturing her on purpose. She loved blue on him, and he knew that. Looking at how good he looked, though, caused her to immediately become self-conscious of her own appearance. She knew she looked like a mess as she stood before him in a plain white spaghetti strapped tank top and a black pair of cotton shorts. Her hair was messily pulled up in a high bun, and she had not a single trace of makeup on her face.

Nathan almost laughed at Haley when she very obviously became aware of what she was wearing and how she looked. And at the same time, he wanted to scream at her. Didn't she know by now that it didn't matter what she was wearing or if her hair was done or whether or not she was wearing any makeup? She was beautiful all the time. His hands were reaching out to touch her right now-to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closely into him as his lips devoured hers in a tantalizing kiss which would no doubt leave them both breathless...but with whatever willpower he possessed, he managed to restrain himself. It has been three weeks-three incredibly long and agonizing weeks-since he has seen her or talked to her. He missed her terribly, and having her standing there right in front of him looking as beautiful as always actually felt like torture and pleasure all at the same time. "Hi, Haley." He finally greeted quietly.

When Nathan spoke, Haley felt herself snapping back to reality. "What are you doing here?" She asked. She knew he was coming to the party. He deserved to be here, and she would never ask him not to come or not invite him because of what's going on between them. This was about Sophie not them. But she also wasn't expecting him to be here so soon. She wasn't expecting to see him for another couple of hours. At least she could have had a little bit more time to mentally prepare herself as well as make herself look presentable.

"I..." Nathan struggled with finding the right words. He wasn't sure what words would get him in trouble or not right now. He didn't want to fight with her today. They had a lot to talk about, and he wanted to talk to her. He needed to talk to her.

"You what?" She prodded.

"I wanted to see you guys." He answered softly looking down timidly. After a couple of seconds, he looked back up catching her soft, surprized gaze. He gave her a few more seconds to say something in return, but she remained silent. "Haley," He began as he took a step further into the beach house. "There are so many things I need to say to you."

Haley stood there almost frozen. It was the sound of little feet pitter pattering against the wooden floor in the hallway which broke her out of her reverie. "Mommy!"

Nathan turned suddenly at that word and saw Sophie running towards Haley. _What did she just say?_ He watched as Haley bent down and scooped the little girl up in her arms. So many emotions were running through his body right now. Just like with Haley, aside from pictures, he hasn't seen Sophie for three weeks. He couldn't believe how much she has grown in just that time period.

Sophie was so preoccupied with Haley, she failed to notice Nathan standing there. "Sophie, I have a surprise for you. Guess who's here?" Haley said turning them to the side a little so Sophie would finally see him. Her eyes lit up real big, and she immediately stretched her arms out to him.

Nathan, without any hesitation, took her in his arms drawing her up against his chest. He closed his eyes reveling in holding her in his arms once again. "Oh gosh, I have missed you so much, Soph." He declared.

Haley smiled watching them. She deeply missed seeing them together. Instinctively, she placed her right hand over her stomach. Ever since she thought she was pregnant weeks ago and took the test which turned out negative, she's found herself touching her stomach whenever she thought about babies and Nathan and Sophie. It was weird, because she was so relieved when she wasn't pregnant and still is considering the state of Nathan and her relationship, but she still can't help but feel now as if she had lost something. She found herself dreaming of what could have been. She found herself imagining being pregnant and having a baby-having Nathan's baby. It plagued her at times.

In the midst of reveling in holding Sophie once again, Nathan opened his eyes to look at Haley. He noticed her sort of staring off into space though. His eyes traveled lower and saw her hand resting against her stomach. He felt butterflies stirring in the pit of his stomach instantly thinking about just two days prior.

_Nathan closed the door behind him as he walked through the quiet apartment. Setting his briefcase on the dining room table, he headed straight into the kitchen immediately grabbing a beer from the refrigerator and taking a nice, long gulp. He let out a refreshing sigh as he made his way into the living room plopping down on the couch. The minutes passed as he sat in the silence-the deafening silence._

_He missed Haley and Sophie. He missed walking through the door and immediately hearing their voices. He missed watching them sprawled out on the living room floor playing with some toys. He missed listening as Haley sang or read Sophie to sleep. He missed holding Haley in his arms as they slept. He missed simply cuddling on the couch as they talked. He missed kissing her and making love to her. He missed everything._

_Close to three weeks had passed. He thought about them constantly. Clay had been doing his best to keep him busy and away from the silent, __empty apartment which he was grateful for, but it still wasn't enough to erase Haley or Sophie from his mind. Taking another swig of his beer, __his cell phone sounded alerting him of a new text message. He sighed as he dug it out of the front right pocket of his pants. A smile immediately formed on his lips when he saw Haley's name displayed on the screen. Opening it, he smiled seeing a new picture of Sophie along with a message underneath._

_"Hey, I was just texting to remind you about Sophie's birthday party on Saturday. You're going to come, aren't you?"_

_"I wouldn't miss it for the world as long as you're okay with me coming." He text back._

_"Of course. Sophie misses you, and I know she'll be ecstatic to see you again."_

_Nathan debated with what he wanted to text back and what he should text back. Finally, his heart overruled his brain. "Is she the only one?" __Several seconds went by before she replied back._

_"I have to give Sophie a bath. I'll see you on Saturday around 2."_

_Nathan dropped his phone on the cushion next to him sighing as he leaned back against the couch. He wasn't necessarily expecting her to actually admit she was or anything, but he was still hoping she would. He closed his eyes as images of times they've spent together the past few months played out in his mind. He was tired of this-tired of being away from them, tired of feeling this way. He couldn't do this anymore. __He couldn't be away from them. He knew what he wanted, and now he actually had to fight for it._

_He pushed himself up from the couch and walked towards his bedroom. Sophie's party was just a couple days away, and he wanted to get everything ready. He pulled a suitcase down from the upper shelf in his closet and began packing some clothes and other belongings into it. __While packing up some of his toiletry items, he realized that most of his stuff was actually in Haley's bathroom. Walking into her bathroom, he grabbed a few of his items. He glanced down just as he was turning around and something in the trash can next to the toilet caught his eye. __Almost instantly dropping the items in his hands on the sink counter, he reached down and grabbed the box in the trash._

_EPT Pregnancy Test_

_Nathan mentally read those words written on the outside of the box. He read and reread probably a dozen times to make sure he was really reading it correctly. He heard something inside hitting the contours of the box. Opening the top flaps, he saw a thin stick inside. Digging into the box, he wrapped his fingers around the item and pulled it out. It was definitely a pregnancy test. Nervously, he looked at the small circle next to a smaller rectangle which were encased in a long oval shape. A negative sign was displayed. "What does that mean?" He questioned aloud to himself. He turned the box around and read the direction on the back._

_Not Pregnant._

_Nathan sat down on the seat of the toilet still holding and staring at the box and the stick in his hands. Minutes passed by even though it felt like hours and all he did was stare at the contents he was holding in his hands. Haley thought she was pregnant. When was this? He questioned before realizing it had to be the weekend he last saw her. Everything came at him full force-she wasn't feeling well and it was stomach related, how emotional she was on the day he returned home...it all made sense. He still couldn't believe, though, that she had taken an actual pregnancy test. He wondered when she took it. He wondered why she didn't wait for him so he could have been there with her. He would have liked to have been there._

_He looked down at the stick again. Not Pregnant. How accurate are these things really, though? They're not one hundred percent, right? Questions plagued him as he tried to wrap his brain around this. Seeing this just re-enforced the fact that they had a lot to talk about. At that thought, he pushed himself up from the toilet seat, threw the box and the test back into the trash can, once again picked up the items he came in here for in the first place, and walked out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom. He had to finished packing, and the list of things he had to get done before leaving Charlotte and heading back to Tree Hill was growing by the minute. He had to get a move on things, because he had to get to Tree Hill talk to Haley._

Sophie placed her hands on his cheek causing him to snap back into reality. He looked at her and chuckled as she leaned forward and kissed him right on the lips. He heard Haley's laughter and looked over to her sending her a soft smile before focusing his attention back to Sophie. "I can't believe how big she's gotten in just that short time period." He stated as Haley nodded in agreement. "I've missed you so much, sweetie." He declared hugging her once again. It felt so great to have her in his arms again. How he lasted this long without it he would never know.

The phone started ringing startling Haley at first before she went into the living room to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Haley. Hey, sweetie, it's Karen. I am so sorry. I know I said I would be there by now, but there was a tiny problem at the cafe that I had to swing by and take care of. But I am leaving now, and I should be over at your house in about five to ten minutes." Karen rambled frazzled.

"Karen, it's okay." Haley quickly reassured. She looked up hearing laughter from both Nathan and Sophie causing her to smile. "Actually, you don't have to come over early. You can just head home and come with Keith later."

"Are you sure? Don't you need to get ready? I'll be there real soon." Karen asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. There's actually someone here right now helping me so go home and relax a little. I've got things under control here." Haley said. The two said their goodbyes before ending their call.

"Is everything okay?" Nathan asked as he made his way closer to her.

"Yeah. That was just Karen. She was supposed to come over and help me get Sophie ready so I could get ready myself." Haley answered.

"I can do that." He quickly said.

Haley laughed at his eagerness. "I know. That's why I told Karen not to worry about it."

"Thanks, Haley."

"You're welcome. And thank you." She replied. The two stared at one another for a few seconds before Haley cleared her throat. "Well, if you don't mind...I'm going to head upstairs to take a shower. If you could get Sophie dressed for me that would be great."

"Of course." He responded.

* * *

><p>Nathan was sitting in the living room watching Sophie as she played peacefully on the floor with a doll. He had her dressed and ready to go. It was an easy task considering Haley had her outfit already picked out and hanging on the railing of the crib. He heard the sound of heels clicking against the wood floor in the hallway. He quickly stood up from the couch and turned where he saw Haley walking into the living room. She was wearing a white sundress with green and black patterns all over the fabric and there was a green belt around her waist. She had green heels on. Her auburn, chestnut hair was curled dangling loosely down her back. Her makeup was done in neutral colors with a hint of green on her eyes making her brown eyes pop. Gosh, she was so beautiful. "You look..." He stopped as he ran his eyes over her appearance once again.<p>

Haley felt her body heating up as his eyes raked over her body. She remembered that look he used to give her. She missed that look he used to give her. It made her feel alive and so desirable. It made her feel wanted, and it made her want him even more. But she had to remind herself of how things were between them.

"You look beautiful." He stated passionately as he looked up and caught her gaze.

"Thank you." She said quietly not really knowing what else to say. The two stood there staring at one another-getting lost in one another's eyes and feeling the pull between them. It was Sophie who broke them out of their reverie. Haley was the first to look away as she focused her attention to Sophie who was now standing up dressed in a pale pink spaghetti strapped dress with tiny white polka dots all over the fabric with small ruffles around the chest area. Down the front center of the dress was a darker shade of pink horizontal line with a thinner green line on both sides of it. She looked so adorable. Haley couldn't believe Sophie was two years old already. It felt like yesterday she was born. At that thought, Haley immediately thought of Lucas and Brooke and thought back to a year ago today. Tears enveloped her eyes, but she kept them at bay.

"Mommy." Sophie said walking towards Haley and reaching up to her.

Nathan felt his heart constrict when he heard that word. He watched as Haley picked her up and the two girls put their foreheads together. He actually felt his own tears forming deep in his eyes. He never grew tired of that sight, and he missed it so much. "When did she start talking?" He asked with a small crack in his voice.

Haley smiled at him. "A couple weeks ago. It was so..." She paused feeling more tears forming in her eyes.

Nathan smiled at the boisterous smile on her face and the glistening of her eyes.

"We were sitting on the bed, and she just said 'momma'. I was so shocked and speechless. I didn't really know how to react. I wasn't sure how to feel. I felt so many things in that moment. I felt happy and proud and guilty and..."

"Guilty?" He questioned.

"Brooke." She said simply.

Nathan instantly knew what she was referring to. He walked closer to her and ran his right hand up and down her left arm soothingly. "You shouldn't feel guilty, Hales. Brooke wouldn't want you to. You know that." He began as she nodded. "You are Sophie's mother now. But that doesn't mean you're replacing Brooke in any way."

"I know. I don't feel that way now. I did, but I just closed my eyes and thought about how Brooke would react. This is what she wanted, and I know that. I know Brooke probably watched down at us in that moment and smiled crying tears of joy. It's just hard. It reminds me that she and Lucas aren't here." She said closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before opening her eyes again. "But it is amazing. And I feel so happy when Sophie calls me 'mom'. My heart breaks-in a good way."

Nathan couldn't stop himself as he reached up and brushed the tears from her eyes before they could fall down her cheek. It took everything in him not to wrap his arms around the both of them and bring them tightly into his embrace. "I'm glad that was her first word." He said.

Haley looked at him. "Me, too." She admitted as they shared a soft smile. "Anyway," She began changing the subject slighlty. "She's been talking more and more. Some words are clear; others are not." She said letting out a small laugh.

Nathan laughed with her. "Yeah. I noticed that while you were getting ready. I still can't believe she's talking. It's so amazing."

Haley nodded but didn't say anything more on the subject. "Do you want something to drink?" She asked as she turned and headed into the kitchen with him following closely behind. She glanced at the clock and noticed it was twenty till two. People were going to be showing up soon. She opened the door to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. She held it out to him.

"Thank you." He responded taking it from her hands.

Silence engulfed them as they stood there drinking their waters before Haley broke it. "So how have you been?" She asked hesitantly.

"Okay." He answered vaguely as she nodded. "I went and saw my mom." He added.

"Really? How is she? Is everything okay?" She questioned.

"Yeah, it was really nice." He answered thinking back to how the visit had gone.

_Deb sat contently in her chair staring out the closed window. She had a lot of things on her mind right now. Today was the first day she was allowed to have visitors, and she couldn't help but wonder if Nathan was going to come. She missed him terribly and wanted so badly to talk to him-even just see him. He said he was coming when she last spoke to him, and she was trying to hold onto that hope._

_"Mrs. Scott." A voice sounded causing her to look over where she saw her counselor, Betty, standing in the doorway. "You have a visitor." __Betty smiled before leaving the room._

_Just a couple seconds later, Deb heard feet shuffling into her room. She smiled boisterously when she saw Nathan walking in. "Nathan." She stated as she stood up from her chair and made her way over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you came."_

_Nathan returned the hug, "I said I was coming, Mom." He stated._

_After a few seconds, Deb pulled back. "I know you did, but I didn't know if you were going to change your mind or not. And I wouldn't have blamed you if you did." She replied softly._

_"Mom, I was serious about wanting to start over. And you helped me come to that decision by admitting you had a problem and agreed to get help. So as long as you're making the effort and taking this thing seriously, then I'm serious about being here for you." He told her._

_Deb felt a wave emotions pass through her as she hugged her son tightly again. It felt so good to actually be so close to him again, and it felt so good to feel him actually return the hug. After a few seconds, they broke apart and took their seats on the two chairs in the room near the window._

_"How are things going in here?" Nathan asked._

_"Really good, actually. The first week was difficult. All I wanted was a drink, and I was so close to walking out that door. But then I thought about you and our family, and I knew you were depending on me. I didn't want to let you down." She said as they shared a soft smile in understanding. "And I do have a problem. I didn't want to admit it, but I do. And it's time that I try to fix that not only for you but for me as well. I don't want to live the way I was. I want to fix our relationship and our family."_

_That last part caught Nathan's attention. "What do you mean our family?"_

_"Not your father if that's what you're thinking."_

_Nathan let out a sigh of relief. Dan was the last thing that his mother needed. He was a contributer of her drinking, and he sure as heck didn't give a damn about her well-being._

_"I've talked to my lawyer." She revealed surprising him as he sat there somewhat speechless. "I have officially drawn up some divorce papers, and they are being processed right now. Once they're ready to go, all I have to do is sign. I'm really hoping for Dan's cooperation with this, but I'm also preparing myself for a fight. I will take him to court if I have to, because I cannot go another day married to that man."_

_"That's great, Mom. I'm so proud of you." He praised her._

_"I've messed up so many things, and staying with your father for as long as I have was definitely the biggest."_

_"Why did you stay with him for so long?" He questioned._

_"So many reasons-so many wrong reasons. I kept telling myself it was because of you, and I didn't want to break up our family. I had no doubt in my mind that Dan would take me to court to gain custody of you, and I was terrified that he would win. He has pull in that town for some unexplicible reason, and I felt it was better to keep us all together. That way I would have at least been there as well."_

_"But you weren't there." He countered. He felt angry but kept it at bay. They needed to talk about this stuff or else they would never fully get passed it all._

_"No, I wasn't." She admitted. "I am so sorry for that, Nathan. I have no excuse for how I behaved and acted. I have no excuse for not being the mother you needed and deserved me to be. What I've learned about myself while I've been in here is how weak I am. Which was the biggest reason why I stayed with your father. I drilled so many lousy excuses into my brain, because it was easier than admitting I was weak. That's also why I buried myself in work and traveling. Being so immersed in work kept me out of that house and away from your father. This is going to sound really horrible and I'm sorry for it, but at the time even sacrificing what was right for you was 'worth' it. I am so sorry. I was wrong." She finished tears forming in her eyes._

_Nathan took a deep breath. It was hard to hear that. It was hard to know he was so expendable to his own mother. He's always felt that way, but to actually hear it was even more difficult and made it real. But he also knew it had to be hard for his mother to admit that. He knew this whole situation was hard-on both of them._

_"I'm trying, though." She continued when he didn't say anything. "I'm trying not to be so weak."_

_"Mom..." He began taking another deep breath. "You're getting help, and you're admitting your faults and trying to fix your life now which I know isn't easy for you so you're anything but weak at this point. It's strong and brave, and I am proud of you."_

_"Thank you, Nathan." She said in appreciation. Knowing she had her son's full support was exactly what she needed right now. That's what made being here easier. She brushed the now fallen tears away from her cheeks as a few seconds went by. They needed to change the subject-something happier and more positive. "How are Haley and Sophie doing?" She asked and immediately saw the somber look appear on Nathan's face. What was going on?_

_Nathan wasn't expecting that question. Being reminded of them had his heart breaking. He debated whether or not to open up to his mother about what was going on. In the past, he wouldn't have a doubt in his mind. He would have never opened up to her. But now it felt different. She felt genuine, and he found himself wanting to talk to her about it. "Okay, I guess." He said simply._

_"Nathan, what's going on?" She questioned softly. She didn't want to push him into talking to her, and she would understand if he didn't. But she also wanted him to know he could talk to her, and she was hoping he would._

_"She left. They both did."_

_"Where?"_

_"Tree Hill." He said looking up at her. "We got into a fight, and she left. She said she needed some time away from me, and she took Sophie with her. She just...she left."_

_Deb's heart broke at the look in her son's eyes. She saw the tears he was trying to keep at bay, and her heart broke. She knew something was happening between him and Haley. She may not have been around or paid that close of attention, but she saw the way they acted around one another. She saw the way they looked at one another over the years. There was something there-there always has been. And she knew them moving to Charlotte together and living together was going to intensify whatever unresolved feelings they shared. "Were you guys...did something happen between you two?"_

_Nathan took a deep breath and nodded. "We've been sleeping together-literally and figuratively." He answered awkwardly. He wanted to talk to her about all of this, but she was still his mother. Talking to his mother about his sex life was bound to be a little awkward. "Things have just been building between us and the tension-sexual tension between us has been...Sophie was gone for the weekend, and we went out to dinner and I took her out for a motorcycle ride and...it just happened. And after we sort of carried on with it. It was so casual and natural. It felt right. The weeks went by and..."_

_"You never talked about it." She finished for him as well as questioned him._

_"No." He said shaking his head. "I went to California for the playoffs, and I went out the night of our last game. I talked to Haley about it, and she wanted me to go out and have a good time. She insisted on it. I got drunk. Clay kept hounding me about my relationship with Haley, and I kept fighting it. I didn't want to admit things had changed between us. I met this girl and...nothing happened." He quickly added as Deb nodded and remaind silent urging him to continue. "We danced and drank, but when she kissed me it felt wrong. I instantly thought of Haley. And I couldn't do anything more."_

_"So what happened?"_

_"I came home, and Haley was upset. She found out about Alex, and she asked me about it. I told her nothing happened, and I think she believed me. She said it wasn't about Alex and then started questioning our relationship. I panicked. I didn't know what to say to her. I felt so blind-sided and...I didn't know what to say to her. I wasn't really sure of anything myself, and I didn't know what to say. That's when she said she was taking Sophie back to Tree Hill and asked me not to come." He explained._

_"So that's it? You didn't go after her or anything?"_

_"I..." He began but stopped._

_"Nathan, why are you doing this to her? Why are you doing this to yourself?"_

_"Mom, I don't know what's going on between us. I don't know what to say or do. I don't know anything." He replied lamely._

_Deb shook her head softly. "I'm going to say something at the risk of straining our relationship again. And you may say that I have no right to say what I'm about to say, but I'm still your mother." She began capturing his full attention. She took a deep breath. "You're an idiot. Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? I don't know what made you so scared to open up your feelings and admit them, but it has to stop. Can you honestly sit there and tell me there is nothing between you and Haley? Nathan, I know how you feel about that girl. I have known how you've felt since high school. Why are you messing this up? Why are you so afraid to admit it? Do you enjoy having Haley and Sophie out of your life?"_

_Nathan sat there quitely taking in his mother's words which somewhat mirrored Clay's words from a few days prior._

_"Please don't make the same mistakes I did, Nathan. Don't sit back and watch Haley and Sophie walk out of your life. Don't let them. You deserve to be happy, and you deserve to love someone and have them love you back. I know Dan and I weren't the best role models for you growing up, but not every relationship is like that. If you really love one another, you'll find a way to make it work. Love is taking a chance. The truth is that your father and I never had that kind of love. I got pregnant, we got married. And all the years after have been a facade. We don't love each other, and our biggest mistake was pretending. But when you do love someone, you have to fight like hell to hold onto it and keep it. I see you and Haley together. You know what she feels for you, and deep down you know you feel the same. So I am begging you to not sit back and watch your life pass you by. Fight for the people you love."_

Nathan broke out of his flashback and looked up to Haley who was watching him intently. He thought back to what both his mom and Clay had said to him. "Haley," He began setting his water on the counter and walking around it to walk closer to her. He didn't miss the cautious look that passed through her face. "There's so much we need to talk about. I have so much to say to you, and there's so much that we need to decide. I..."

"Nathan..." She interrupted quickly. "People are going to start showing up, and I need to get the finishing touches done on the party. Could you take Sophie while I do that?" She handed Sophie over to him not really giving him the option. After the little girl was in his arms, he watched as Haley rushed out of the kitchen. He knew what she was doing. He hated it, but for now, he would let her avoid this. He didn't want to push her. But he wasn't going to stop either.

* * *

><p>Children ran all over the backyard as the adults mingled with one another while keeping a watchful eye over the kids. People were eating and drinking and simply enjoying the beautiful day. There was a slight breeze which actually caused a little chill in the air. Haley was sitting at a picnic table with Peyton and Quinn gabbing about work and pregnancy and babies-just a lot of little topics. She laughed at something Quinn said while casting her eyes over to the yard where she saw Keith and Karen standing with Victoria and Ted. Haley was so surprised when Ted came walking into the backyard with Victoria. She hadn't seen him in years, and the last time she did, Ted and Victoria weren't exactly friendly with one another. But they had apparently reconciled. It was awkward and more than unexpected, but they looked happy. That was all that matter. She could just imagine how Brooke would react if she were here today to witness her parents being all lovey dovey and happy with one another. Haley laughed at the mental picture she conjured up.<p>

She plunged the fork with her final piece of her dessert into her mouth savoring the delicious vanilla cake and buttercream icing. After a couple of seconds, she pushed herself up from the table telling the two girls she would be back. Arriving at the table where the food was laying out, she threw her plate and fork into the nearby trash can. She heard laughter causing her to look over, and she noticed Nathan, Clay, David, and Jake approaching the table. Butterflies swirled in her stomach as she caught Nathan's gaze.

Nathan stared into Haley's big, brown eyes and sent her a soft smile. At the same time, though, he felt exasperated. Throughout the whole day, he's tried talking to her but she managed to deflect him every time making excuses for things she had to go do or people she had to go talk to. He was growing more and more frustrated. He wanted to talk to her. He needed to talk to her.

"Well, well...if it isn't Haley James." Clay said breaking their gaze.

Haley looked over to Clay and saw the smirk on his face. She shook her head in amusement. "How are you doing, Clay?"

"Definitely better now." He stated winking playfully at her.

"Clay Evans...ever the charmer." She said.

Clay shrugged, "It's a gift." He took a sip of his beer as he observed Nathan and Haley who were now staring at one another once again. They were so obvious that he didn't understand why they didn't see it. He figured they probably did see it, but refused to acknowledge it out of fear. Despite the current circumstances, though, he found this whole situation amusing.

"Haley." A voice sounded causing them to all turn towards the voice.

Nathan immediately felt his stomach drop when he saw who the voice belonged to.

"Julian! Hey, I am so glad you could make it." Haley exclaimed as she threw her arms around Julian's neck as the two embraced in a hug.

Nathan couldn't help but clutch his beer tighter in his hand. _What was Julian doing here? Was there something going on between Haley and him?_ Questions plagued his brain as he continued to watch them. They almost fit so perfectly in each other's arms. The sight was enough to make him sick. He felt so many things right now. But one thing he could actually admit now was that jealousy was the biggest emotion he was feeling.

"Yeah. I was able to switch shifts with someone and here I am." Julian said as they back out of their embrace. "Besides, I didn't want to miss Sophie's birthday party. We've spent some good quality time together this week, and I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Nathan glared at him as he said those words which mirrored the same ones he said to Haley just days ago. And what did he mean about spending time with them? He tried really hard to control himself, but hearing that just emphasized how Julian was here seeing and spending time with both Haley and Sophie while he was in Charlotte away from them-not being able to see them or talk to them. He hated that.

"Well, Sophie is going to be thrilled to see you." Haley said.

"Where is the birthday girl?" Julian asked.

"Around here somewhere. I actually think she's with Jenny and her friends." She answered.

The loud clearing of someone's throat had them both turning. Haley rolled her eyes playfully when she realized it was Clay. "Julian, this is Clay and David. They work with Nathan. Clay, David...this is Julian. He's a pediatric doctor at Tree Hill Memorial." She introduced as the three guys shook hands with one another. She glanced over at Nathan and noticed him staring at Julian. She felt something in the pit of her stomach-nervousness maybe. "And you remember Nathan, right?"

"Yes." Julian answered caustiously. He felt very intimidated by Nathan and the glares he always seemed to be sending his way. "It's good to see you again, Nathan." He offered out. He wanted to play nice today no matter how Nathan was acting. He's spent some time with Haley this past week, and they had a really good conversation about her and Nathan and everything that was somewhat going on. He could admit he still had some leftover feelings for Haley and didn't see those disappearing anytime soon, but he also knew her heart belonged to someone else. That was pretty obvious even if she didn't come out and admit it. She needed a friend right now, and that was all he was seeking from her.

Nathan didn't say anything-just stared at him. He felt someone nudging his side, and he turned to see Clay giving him a pointed look. He rolled his eyes before turning back towards Julian. "Yeah, it's good to see you, too." He said begrudgingly.

Julian definitely took the hint and turned back to Haley. "So have you given any more thought to what we talked about the other day?" He asked.

Nathan's ears perked up at that. _What was he talking about?_

Haley wanted to strangle Julian right now. Why did he think now would be a good time to bring that up? Really...with Nathan standing right here? She hasn't even talked to Nathan about anything yet. She didn't really know what to say to him which was part of the reason why she kept avoiding him since the party began. Another reason was that she didn't want to hear him tell her he didn't feel the same way or that what happened between them was a mistake. She couldn't handle that-not today. Not right now. "I have, but I haven't made a decision yet." She answered hesitantly.

"Well, I don't mean to push you, but I know they're wanting an answer."

"I know. But I...there's just a lot of things I have to think about." Haley said wanting this subject to be dropped.

"Okay. I understand. But you should know that we would all love to have you back at the hospital. We miss you a lot." He stated.

Haley closed her eyes not wanting to look over at Nathan.

Nathan felt his heart almost stop. He had a quick internal debate as to whether or not he should push this subject even further. In the end, he decided to push it. "What's he talking about, Haley?"

_Here it goes._ "Nathan, I don't think..."

"Are you going back to work at the hospital?" He asked cutting her off. It's not that he didn't want her to go back to work. If she wanted to then she had his full support. However, if she was taking another nursing job at Tree Hill Memorial then that meant she was staying in Tree Hill for awhile and clearly not planning on leaving anytime soon. Haley wouldn't take a job for just a couple months only to leave it again. So what did that mean for them?

"I haven't made a decision, Nathan. We just talked about it." She said quickly.

"But you're thinking about it." He stated.

"I...I don't know, okay. I don't really know what's going on or what I'm going to decide. Can we please just drop this and talk about it later?" She pleaded.

"Okay." Nathan conceded feeling even more frustrated then before.

An hour later, Sophie was finished opening her presents which proved to be an entertaining experience. Every present she opened, she immediately wanted to play with it forgetting about all of the other opened and non-opened gifts. It was quite a task for both Nathan and Haley who agreed they wanted to help her together to keep the little girl focused and on task trying to bribe her. Finally, they were able to get through all of the presents before Jenny and a couple friends took a few of Sophie's new gifts as well as Sophie out to a grassy spot in the yard so they could play while Nathan and Haley cleaned up the trash from the wrapping paper and stuff.

Nathan was struggling with keeping his emotions in check. He needed to talk to Haley, but the whole day she's been brushing him off. Even when he wasn't asking to talk, she had been acting a little more distant with him. He understood-he really did, but at some point they actually had to talk about everything. He watched her as she mingled with a few guests. She looked so carefree and beautiful, but he could also see a hint of a facade behind her eyes and her mannerisms. He noitced her walking in his direction, and he approached her. "Haley, can we please..."

"Nathan, I really have to run into the kitchen. I'm sorry." Haley once again interrupted and stepped around him to head into the house.

"Haley, stop!" Nathan exclaimed causing her to stop as well as capturing all of the other guests outside. But he didn't care because he was at his breaking point. "Just stop. Please just listen and let me talk to you."

Haley turned around and timidly looked at everyone around them staring at the scene. "Nathan, now is not the time." She muttered under her breath.

"Then when?" He countered heatedly not taking a breath. "When is the right time, because every time I try to talk to you, you run off. You make up some ridiculous excuse to avoid this. But I can't anymore. I have things I need to say to you, and I need to say them now, because if I keep letting you put this off then I am going to lose my nerve, and I'll never say this. And then we are right back to where we were, and I can't be there anymore. So just stop, shut up, and listen to me!"

Haley stood there frozen and surprised at the forceful way he was speaking to her as well as how determined he was right now.

Knowing that he had her full attention, he continued. "Do you know how irritating you are?" He asked rhetorically and immediately received a glare from her. "Seriously, you are the most infuriating person I have ever met. Since that first day we met in the cafe, I have hated you. I've never met anyone who could get to me the way you do. God, you make it so easy to hate a person."

Haley crossed her arms around her chest timidly as she glanced around noticing everyone was still staring at them.

"But what I hate the most is that you also make it impossible to hate you." He added with a calmer tone. Taking a step closer to her until he was standing just a couple feet in front of her, he continued. "Nobody could get to me the way you did and still do. You saw right through my bluster and BS, and you didn't put up with it. When I first noticed you, I was so intrigued. I didn't know you, but I wanted to. Everything about you fascinated me-the way you dressed, your intelligence, your friendship with Brooke...just everything. And I remember the first time we had ever talked to one another in the cafe and how you threw that glass of water in my face."

Laughter sounded from the people surrounding them.

"You constantly challenge me. You continually test my patience and my sanity, and I tried to fight it at first. For years I did. I had never met someone who so willingly called me out on my crap. Well, except for Brooke and Peyton but they don't count. No offense." He said looking over to Peyton who was still sitting at the picnic table with Quinn as well as a few other people.

Peyton held up her hands, "None taken." She replied as more laughter sounded.

Nathan turned back to Haley who was still looking at him. "You didn't put up with it. You didn't put up with the God complex I carried around in high school and even after. You didn't let me treat you the way I treated other people-girls in particular. When I did, you pushed back twice as hard. And because of that, I wanted to hate you. I made myself hate you. I had to, because I couldn't let you in and see the real me. And the real me was a person who was crazy about you."

Haley felt the tears forming in the back of her eyes.

"From the moment I truly noticed you, I've been crazy about you. And it turns out that the things I hated about you were also the things I loved about you. There's always been something here between us. I know you've felt it. Deep down underneath all of the hate and the annoyance...you felt it, too. Other people saw it. Luke hounded me about it almost daily, but I never broke. I didn't let myself. But there were moments when I almost did. Like the night in my bedroom after prom."

Haley couldn't stop the hint of a smile that graced her lips as she thought back to that night.

"And that's just one of the many moments. I've had my fair share of girls..." He began awkwardly knowing this wasn't exactly what Haley would want to hear right now, but he had to say this. "But none of them made me feel the way you do. I'm not proud when I say this, but they were just sex for me. They weren't and aren't who I wanted. You and me...we were never just about sex. What we had was formed long before we ever slept together."

Haley could hear the small gasps from her friends around them, but she didn't dare look away from Nathan's penetrating gaze. It was as if he was staring straight into her soul. In that moment, it was just the two of them. Nobody and nothing else mattered.

"I know I hurt you-more times than either of us could probably count. And I know that I made you feel used, but I never...it wasn't about that for me. It wasn't about Sophie or about 'scratching an itch'. It was about us. It was about you and me, and what was happening between us was real and the most powerful and intimate thing I have ever experienced. Every time it was that way. I never meant to hurt you. I was just so scared to actually admit what was there between us. I'm not perfect. I've made my fair share of mistakes, and I'll probably make more...but you make me want to change, because despite my faults and drawbacks, you were willing to look passed everything I pretended to be and just see me." He said walking even closer to her so that he was now standing directly in front of her. So close she could practically feel his breath on her. "You opened up to me and wanted to share your life with me. And aside from Lucas, you were the only person I ever wanted to open up to. And I want to share my life with you. I want everything with you. I want to marry you and make babies with you. I want to give Sophie a brother or a sister. Maybe two of both."

Haley smiled as the tears in her eyes became heavier almost clouding her vision completely.

"I want us to be a family. A real family. I love Sophie, and I love you. I love you so much." He declared passionately. He didn't really give her a chance to respond as he cupped her face with his hands and pulled her gently into him kissing her passionately on the lips.

The two lost themselves in the kiss. They could faintly hear the catcalls and whistles from the other guests, but they blocked them out. It was just the two of them pouring everything they had into one another. When air became too great of an issue forcing them to break apart, Nathan rested his forehead against hers with his arms wrapped securely, tightly around her waist. "I love you, Haley." He repeated quietly.

Haley closed her eyes feeling his hot breath against her face as their foreheads touched. "I love you, too."

Nathan smiled before swooping back down for a kiss. This kiss was more chaste than the first but equally as passionate.

* * *

><p>Nathan waved from the doorway as he watched Keith, Karen, Jake, and Peyton pull out of the driveway and take off down the road disappearing from his sight. They were the last guests to leave since they insisted on staying to help clean up while Haley put an exhausted Sophie to bed. He turned and walked further into the house closing the door behind him. Walking through the house, he realized Haley was still upstairs so he started climbing up the stairs. Once he was upstairs, he noticed Sophie's door closed and assumed Haley was still inside. He walked further down the hall arriving at Haley's bedroom just as she came walking out changed into a pair of white cotton shorts and a long-sleeved blue t-shirt with Ravens written in white lettering across the chest. Her hair was still down like before but any trace of makeup on her face was vacant. "Hey." He whispered.<p>

"Hey. Sorry. I just needed to get out of those clothes. Is everyone gone?" She asked.

"Yeah."

An awkard silence fell up on them as they stood in the doorway of Haley's bedroom. She shifted back and forth on her feet while biting her bottom lip. "So..." They both said simultaneously laughing after. "Go ahead." Haley offered shyly.

"That was a nice party. You did a great job." He complimented lamely.

"Thanks." She said scrunching her eyebrows. _That's what he had to say._

Nathan nodded as he swung his arms back and forth slapping his hands together. "Well, maybe I should..." He said after a minute or so while gesturing towards the stairs.

Haley was surprised and more than a little disappointed. _Why was he leaving? Where was he going? Was he staying in Tree Hill or was he going back to Charlotte? They had just confessed their love for one another and he was leaving? What the hell?_ "Okay." Was all she was able to muster.

Nathan nodded but hesitated in actually leaving. He didn't want to, but he also wasn't sure of what she wanted and was ready for. He didn't want to push her or make her uncomfortable. Finally, he found some willpower and leaned forward and down gently brushing his lips against hers. The kiss lasted for a few seconds before he pulled away just enough so he could look at her. "Goodnight, Hales. I'll see you tomorrow." He stated hopeful.

"Yeah." She responded quietly.

"Okay. Well...bye." He said giving her one last kiss on her forehead before turning and walking away towards the staircase.

Haley still couldn't believe he was leaving. Sighing, she walked into her bedroom closing the door behind her before leaning back against it. Only a second passed when she heard a soft knock on the opposite side of the door. She barely had time to register anything as she opened the door before Nathan immediately stepped into the room capturing her in a kiss which actually had her feeling lightheaded. She felt his arms wrap around her waist drawing her flush up against his body. She gasped lightly into his mouth.

Nathan held her tightly against him. It was almost as if he was afraid he would lose her or wake up from a wonderful dream if he loosened his grip on her for even a second. Plus he just loved the way she felt pressed so closely to his body. When air became an issue, they broke apart panting. "I'm sorry." He apologized.

"For what?" She asked confused still trying to catch her breath from that intoxicating kiss.

"I tried going slow."

Haley smiled realizing why he decided to leave earlier. "Who said I wanted to go slow?" She asked sensually pushing herself into him planting a kiss in the crook of his neck.

Nathan closed his eyes when he felt her soft lips against his neck and his grip on her waist tightened before he pushed the tips of his fingers underneath her shirt feeling the warm flesh of her back.

"Nathan, it's been three weeks since we've seen one another-since you've held me in your arms. Please stop worrying about whether we are going too fast or too slow and just kiss me." She pleaded.

Nathan didn't waste another second capturing her lips in another intoxicating kiss. Clasping his arms together around her waist, he lifted her up so she was completely off the floor as she held on tightly around his neck. He walked them further into her bedroom gently closing the door behind them careful not to wake Sophie.

Haley felt herself being carried into the bedroom and heard the click of the door shutting before she collided into the wall behind her. "Nathan." She moaned into his mouth.

"I want you, Haley." He groaned pushing his lower body into her as if to prove his point and letting her feel exactly what she did to him.

"You have me." She mumbled against his lips.

Nathan stopped his movements and leaned back to look at her. He brushed the hair from her eyes staring into her big, beautiful brown eyes.

Haley felt her body heat up with his penetrating gaze. "What?" She asked.

"I love you."

Haley smiled at the passionate way he said those three words. She didn't even realize she was crying until she felt Nathan brushing the fallen tears from her cheeks and asking her what was wrong. "I'm just...I'm happy. I love you so much. I never knew it could feel this way, because I've never felt this way before."

"What about Nick?" He couldn't help but ask.

"It's a different kind of feeling-a different kind of love. With Nick it was that first time love and while it was very real, it was also an immature kind of love. But now its...it's hard to describe. I feel like I can't breathe without you. When I'm with you I feel complete and feel like the real me. I know I sound really cheesy right now." She said as they both let out a small chuckle. "But you're it for me. I know this is real. You said earlier that I make you want to change, and it's similar for me. I feel more confident when I'm with you, and you have this way of getting me to try new things-things I would have never dared to do before."

"Like riding and driving a motorcycle and having phone sex." He smirked.

"Yeah. You make me feel sexy."

"You are." He quickly added.

"But you make me feel it. Nobody has ever been able to do that, because I would just see plain Haley James when I looked in the mirror. I never necessarily thought I was horrible looking or anything like that, but I also didn't see anything spectacular. But with you...the way you look at me makes me feel so wanted and desirable." She explained.

"For me it's kind of the opposite." He began as she looked at him confused urging him to continue. "I knew you were attracted to me. I mean, come on. I'm a very good looking guy." He stated smugly causing Haley to roll her eyes playfully. "But that's what I had going for me. Girls wanted me because I was hot or had money or the celebrity status, and I accepted it. I didn't care, because I only wanted one thing from them. Nothing else mattered. But you didn't fall for it. I could tell you were attracted to me, but that's not what you cared about. You actually cared about who I was as a person. And you wanted to get to know the real me. And because of that, you made me care about you and fall madly in love with you."

"I love you." She replied simply yet powerfully.

Nathan smiled softly at her leaning forward and kissing her gently before breaking apart and resting his forehead against hers. "Hales, are you pregnant?" He asked quietly.

"What?" She asked leaning her head back slightly so she could look at him. Her eyebrows were scrunched up indicating her confusion. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I found the test in your trash can a couple days ago. I know it said negative, but I just wanted to make sure. I know those things can be false sometimes, and I didn't know if that was the case now."

"No," She said shaking her head. "I'm not pregnant. The test was accurate." She confirmed. She noticed the way his face fell slightly at her confirmation. "Do you wish I was?"

"It's not necessarily that. Thinking about everything that's been going on, it is probably for the best. There are so many things that we still need to talk about and decide. Adding another baby into the mix might not be the best idea right now. But I'd also be lying if I told you I didn't want you to be. Or at least thought about it. I meant what I said-I want to have more babies with you. When the time is right or even if it's not...I mean, look at the whole situation with Sophie. She wasn't planned for Lucas and Brooke nor for us, but she's been a miracle to all four of us. The two of you have been the best things to happen to me. And I can't wait to expand the family we've created. Lucas told me to open my eyes and look at what was right in front of me, and it's been you the whole time. It's always been you."

"Make love to me, Nathan." Haley demanded softly before kissing him passionately as he lifted her so she could wrap her legs tightly around his waist as he carried her to the bed.

**There you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope it was worth the wait, and I did the Naley reunion justice. I know there wasn't a lot of smut, but I think the dialogue was more necessary. :)**

**And again, I apologize for the wait. Life can get in the way sometimes, but thank you again for being so patient...well, hopefully, you were. LOL! So only three more chapters to go. It's kind of crazy.**

**I have actually been going back and forth on whether to start another story right away. I have a couple of ideas for a story-one takes place in high school and one out of high school. IF I do start one, do you guys have a preference to stories that you enjoy the most. I do have storylines planned, but since I'm not the reader, I like to know what others prefer as well. But I don't know if I will right away. I'm due in September, and as you can tell, I haven't had as much free time as before, and I don't want to fully commit to a story when I'm not sure how often I'll be able to write.**

**So I don't want to make any promises, but I am working really hard on getting the next chapter out for you guys. I am really pulling for either Saturday or Sunday-preferably Saturday. And I would LOVE it if I could get this story finished within the next couple of weeks. But anyway, I hope to get another chapter for you guys soon.**

**Have an amazing day/weekend!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Back with an update! Well, I didn't get this to you on Saturday or Sunday like I had hoped, but I hope Monday is still good enough. :)**

**Thank you again for all of the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. It's such a wonderful feeling knowing people are interested in it. And a huge thanks to HBJHOTH23 (chapters 23-26), Ellie, Othfan48, tp404, soulandspirit (chapters 6-27 and don't worry about spam. LOL!), J. Caroline, kaya17tj, Steffsche, rosepetal16, mommyof3cutiestha, luvnit, Stampiej, kutebloo, Mrs. Naley Scott, thekellay, JamesLover23, courtneylovejason, and Amber for your amazing reviews. They are always so awesome and inspiring!**

**One quick little tip...the date in the beginning is the present day date-not the flashback date. ;)**

**So that's all I have to say for now so happy reading!**

May 23, 2013

_Haley used her key to unlock the door and walked inside the clothing store. "Brooke!" She hollered taking a few more steps. "I'm here." She didn't receive an answer and also didn't see the other girl anywhere in the front, open space so she made her way to the back. Walking the short, narrow hallway, she found just who she was looking for sitting on a cushioned ottoman with a needle and thread in her hand working dilligently. Haley immediately noticed the white wedding gown held up over a mannequin. "Wow." She gushed breathlessly._

_Brooke turned slightly startled at the new voice until realizing it was Haley. "Hey!" She greeted enthusiastically. "So how does it look?" She asked when she noticed Haley staring at the gown._

_"It's..." Haley began as she took a step closer to her. "It's really beautiful, Brooke."_

_"You think so?" Brooke questioned timidly._

_"Yes. It's perfect." Haley affirmed and smiled at the boisterous smile that formed on her friend's face. "Are you all finished with it?"_

_"Pretty much. I need to have another fitting so I can figure out what finishing touches I need to do to it. And that's why I called you over here. I need your help getting into this thing."_

_"Of course." Haley replied. She spent the next few minutes helping Brooke slip into the dress and making sure everything was as it was supposed to be. Once they were both satisfied, she took a step back and admired her best friend as tears enveloped her eyes. "You..." She began as Brooke turned and looked at her. "You look beautiful."_

_"Thank you, Haley." Brooke said quietly and smiled. "I'm getting married."_

_Haley returned the smile, "You're getting married." She stepped closer and embraced her friend as they stood there for several minutes hugging one another tightly and crying freely. "It's only one month away. Are you ready?" Haley asked as they pulled out of their embrace and wiped away their tears._

_"I am more than ready. I can't wait to become Brooke Scott."_

_"Wow...so you're taking Lucas' name." Haley teased._

_"Yeah. It's not like I want to but I thought it was the least I could do for him." Brooke joked right back. "I have something to show you. Follow me." __She said grabbing her friend's hand and leading her away from the mirror to another mannequin a couple feet away with some fabric covering it. She pulled it away and revealed another wedding gown._

_"That's beautiful, Brooke." Haley complimented blown away by the unfinished gown displayed in front of her._

_"Why thank you. And it also just so happens to be yours." Brooke revealed._

_"What?" Haley asked shocked and confused as she turned towards her friend._

_"This is your wedding dress."_

_"But...I'm not getting married." Haley said letting out a small laugh._

_"Not right now, but someday you will be. And this is the wedding dress I am making for you. I've been so caught up in all of this wedding stuff and I couldn't stop myself." Brooke said chuckling. "Besides...I wanted to get a jump start on things to make it perfect for you. And I know you wanted something simple but beautiful. Do you like it?"_

_"I...I love it, Brooke." Haley said as Brooke let out a little squeal of excitement. "But I think I'm a few years away from getting married. I'm not even dating anyone. Who knows? It could be another twenty years before I get married, and with my luck, I won't have the same body anymore to fit in this thing."_

_"Oh hush, Haley. It's not going to be twenty years before you get married. Can we say dramatic? And please...with me as a best friend, do you really think I'd let you gain any weight or anything like that so you can't fit into this dress."_

_Haley shook her head in amusement and laughed, "How about we just focus on your dress and your walk down that aisle and not worry about me right now. Deal." She said extending her hand out towards her._

_"Fine. Deal." Brooke conceded begrudgingly shaking her friend's hand. "You never let me have any fun."_

Haley's reminiscing moment was broken when she heard another voice calling her name. She turned around and saw Deb now in the room walking closer to her. "Hi, Deb." She greeted warmly.

"You look beautiful." Deb gushed.

"Thank you."

"That is such a gorgeous dress." Deb complimented as she took in the sight of her very soon-to-be daughter-in-law standing in front of her wearing a white, strapless wedding gown. The neckline was a small v-shape around the chest and some material was gathered at the left side of her hip clasped together with a small diamond jewel. The dress flowed slightly out towards the bottom-not quite as poofy as a princess style, though.

At Deb's words, Haley instinctively glanced down at herself and smiled. "Thanks. Brooke actually made it for me." She looked up and noticed Deb sporting a confused look. "She started working on it when she was making her own wedding dress. She said that eventually I would need it, and she wanted to get started early to make sure it was perfect. I didn't even know she had finished it. Victoria actually told me about it saying it's been preserved and hidden in a safe location. I'm surprised it fits. Gosh, I think Brooke was more excited about my future wedding than I was." She said letting out a small laugh.

Deb watched as Haley explained about her dress and noticed the tears filling her eyes. "Oh, honey." She said rushing closer and embracing her in a hug.

"I miss them so much." Haley declared referring to both Brooke and her mother. "I just wish they could be here. This is the happiest day of my life, and two of the most important people in my life can't be here to share it with me. They should be here."

"It's okay, sweetie." Deb stated rubbing her hand up and down Haley's bare back soothingly. "I know you want them here, and it's not fair. But they are here-maybe not physically, but you know they're watching over you right now sharing this moment with you." She pulled out of their embrace just enough so she could look at the young girl. She brushed some tears away from her cheek. "They were both so proud of you. I didn't know Brooke or Lydia very well, but I know how much they loved you. They will always be here with you to share moments like this."

Haley nodded and closed her eyes squeezing out any unfallen tears. "Thank you, Deb." She said opening her eyes once again.

"Anything for my beautiful daughter-in-law." Deb stated lovingly as the two women shared a smile. "Now...let's fix your makeup. You don't want to keep my son waiting." Over the next five minutes, they stood in relative silence as Deb redid Haley's makeup. "Haley," Deb began softly. "I want to thank you."

"For what?"

"For so many things. For being so supportive and understanding with me and what I'm going through. You have been so wonderful this past year. I've had the best support system I could have asked for, and it hasn't been easy. And you have just been so amazing. You didn't judge me or chastize me. You were just there. And getting to spend time with Sophie has really helped a lot. I just want to thank you."

"Deb, you're family. Nathan loves you. He was hard on you, because he cares. And it has been nice to have you around. I really care about you, too. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but it's been nice to have a mother figure around." Haley stated.

Deb smiled at Haley's words. It actually felt really nice to hear her say that. "How could I possibly take that the wrong way?" She said as the two girls laughed for a few seconds until their laughter died down. "And thank you for loving my son. He's...I never thought he would settle down, and even though it may not seem like I did, I really worried about him. He has always been so closed off, and I know that's the influence of Dan and myself. But then you came along...well, you and Sophie. I am glad it's you. Nathan has been crazy about you for years."

Haley smiled at that.

"He loves you so much, and you saved him." Deb stated.

"We saved each other." Haley added.

Deb nodded, "Yes, you did. You guys are perfect together, and you have created the most amazing family. Sophie adores you guys, and it's been something pretty amazing to see. I love you both so much, and I am just so happy. You, Haley James soon to be Scott, are the perfect woman for my son, and I am honored to have you as a daughter-in-law. You have been such a blessing to this family."

"Thank you, Deb." Haley said in appreciation as tears once again filled her eyes as well as in Deb's.

"Gosh, now I'm the one who needs her makeup fixed." Deb said as they laughed. "Come here." She said embracing Haley in another hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

><p>Nathan stood at the front of the alter watching nervously as the girls, dressed in short, strapless, red colored dresses holding bouquets of purple flowers, descended down the aisle with Pachelbel's Canon In D Major sounding through the speakers of the church. Butterflies swirled around in his stomach. He was nervous, but it was a good kind of nervous. He couldn't believe he was really doing this-standing here waiting for her to walk down that aisle and stand next to him as they make a commitment to one another. He never thought he'd be here-with anyone let alone the girl he's been crazy about since high school. He never thought he would want to be here. But here he stood-the happiest day of his life. The day his life was really beginning. <em>May 23, 2013.<em> Nathan smiled thinking about that date-a date Haley specifically picked to add to his love of the number which represented so many special, life-changing moments throughout his life. This was definitely one of those moments-the most important moment of all time.

Once all of the girls were standing parallel to him and the rest of his groomsmen, he watched as Sophie stood in front of the closed doors at the opposite end of the chapel holding a basket of purple flower petals. He smiled boisterously as the little girl stood there almost frozen-like looking around at all of the people apprehensive about what she was actually supposed to do. Nathan stepped forward slightly and bent down closer to the ground so she could see him. Once she did, she smiled widely before taking off running down the aisle not even bothering to drop any of the flower petals as the guests in the pews laughed. "Daddy!" Nathan scooped her up in his arms as she giggled. His heart melted-he would never grow tired of hearing that word fall from her lips. Giving her a quick peck on the lips, he turned his attention back to the other end of the chapel as the traditional bridal march sounded. The doors swung open and his breath caught in his throat once he saw her. She was breathtaking-literally.

Once the doors opened, Haley immediately caught sight of Nathan and Sophie. A smiled invaded her face as tears welled up in her eyes. She stared into Nathan's eyes as Keith led her down the aisle. She could see the other guests and the rest of the wedding party out of the corner of her eyes and she could hear the instrumental piece as she walked, but the only things she could focus on were Nathan and their daughter. She couldn't believe she was finally here. She's had her doubts over the years, but here she was-about to marry the love of her life.

After what felt like forever, Haley was standing before the two people who changed her life completely for the better. "Mommy." Sophie said reaching for her causing the guests to laugh again. Haley took the little girl in her arms kissing her soundly on the lips as Nathan smiled at the sight.

"Who gives this woman away?" The minister asked.

"Her family does." Keith answered. Giving Haley a quick kiss on her left cheek, he took Sophie in his arms before heading to the pews taking a seat next to Karen as the rest of the guest sat down once again.

Nathan intertwined his left hand with Haley's right as the two stood facing the minister.

"Welcome family, friends, and loved ones. We gather here today to celebrate the wedding of Nathan and Haley. You have come here to share in this formal commitment they make to one another, to offer your love and support to this union, and to allow Nathan and Haley to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them. So welcome to one and all, who have traveled from near and far. Nathan and Haley thank you for your presence here today and now ask for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support for their decision to be married.

Marriage is perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure of human relationships. No ceremony can create your marriage; only you can do that-through love and patience, through dedication and perseverance, through talking and listening, helping and supporting and believing in each other, through tenderness and laughter, through learning to forgive, learning to appreciate your differences, and by learning to make the important things matter and to let go of the rest. What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you make to stand together as life mates and partners.

Do you, Nathan, take Haley to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." Nathan answered.

"And do you, Haley, take Nathan to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." Haley answered as she and Nathan shared a smile.

"I have a couple of literature pieces which I came across as I prepared for this wedding." The minister began. "Two pieces of literature which pretty much sums up everything I have to say about this marriage and these two remarkable individuals standing before me. The first one I am going to read is a poem written by Carol D. Bos titled 'Til Death Do Us Part'.

I hope it is decades before death parts us  
>But I don't know what God has in mind<br>I pray that he'll let us be happy always  
>But I can't comprehend plans divine.<p>

It may be that turmoil will dot our landscape  
>With it's gray skies and swirling intrusion<br>It may be that joy will fill both our hearts  
>And we'll think pain is just an illusion.<p>

But I think it's likely we'll see some of each  
>As we walk on this pathway together<br>I promise you now: I will give all I have  
>From my mouth you'll not hear the word "Never."<p>

With so much uncertainty, crime, and abuse  
>That exists, everywhere, all around us<br>More than ever we need to hold fast to the truth  
>Of our marriage…Life will not confound us.<p>

Time together is fleeting; it is too scarce to waste  
>My goal is to make my life-mission<br>A beautiful tapestry highlighting "us"  
>Sewn with threads from our human condition.<p>

I want to explore the full spectrum of life  
>Before we're too close to its leaving<br>I want to embrace vast explosions of joy  
>That make both our hearts strong and heaving.<p>

I know I will love you for all of my life  
>No matter the time we are given.<br>I'm your till death parts us-left all alone-  
>Until God reunites us in heaven.<p>

I read this poem and couldn't help but find it so fitting towards the lives of these two souls. They know first-hand how short and unexpected life can be. They've experienced it through their own hardships, and they see it anytime they look at their beautiful daughter, Sophie. But they know this and have managed to come together-to find one another in the face of those obstacles and create a love and a bond-a family. I see them, and I see the love that exists between them as do I'm sure all of you sitting and standing here today to take witness to and support this holy union.

The second literature piece I have to share with you all today is another poem written by Mari Nichols-Haining titled 'Why Marriage?'

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,  
>With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...<p>

Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,  
>Who won't hold them against me,<br>Who loves me when I'm unlikable,  
>Who sees the small child in me, and<br>Who looks for the divine potential of me...

Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night  
>With someone who thanks God for me,<br>With someone I feel blessed to hold...

Because marriage means opportunity  
>To grow in love in friendship...<p>

Because marriage is a discipline  
>To be added to a list of achievements...<p>

Because marriages do not fail, people fail  
>When they enter into marriage<br>Expecting another to make them whole...

Because, knowing this,  
>I promise myself to take full responsibility<br>For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness  
>I create me, I take half of the responsibility for my marriage<br>Together we create our marriage...

Because with this understanding  
>The possibilities are limitless.<p>

This poem truly speaks for itself the meaning of marriage. Marriage is a special gift given to us who truly believe in the sanctity of such a union. Marriage is hard and some days you may feel like giving up and calling it quits, but true love will conquer it all. True love will bring you back and allow you to see that fighting to save this special gift will be worth more than anything else in this world. Marriage is about two souls joining in one-not one soul fighting to survive with the other ready to give up. It's about both sides working hard to keep that true love alive. It's about friendship and finding a best friend for the rest of your life. It's about accepting each others weaknesses and celebrating each others strengths. Marriage is about commitment and dedication."

A soft melody played through the speakers as Nathan and Haley walked together further up the alter picking up their candles and lighting the center candle in unison before resuming their previous positions facing one another with joined hands.

"Nathan and Haley, please repeat after me the vows you to promise to uphold to one another on this day."

"I, Nathan, take you, Haley, to be my lawfully wedded wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this day forward for as long as we both shall live." Nathan recited.

"I, Haley, take you, Nathan, to be my lawfully wedding husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we my face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this day forward for as long as we both shall live." Haley repeated.

"May I have the rings, please?" The minister asked as both Clay and Peyton handed the circular pieces of jewelry over to him. "Please repeat after me."

"I give you this ring as a daily reminder of my faithfullness and my love for you." Both Nathan and Haley individually recited.

"By the power of your love and commitment, and the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Nathan, you may kiss your bride."

Nathan didn't waste another second before leaning forward and devouring Haley in a delectable kiss as cheers and clapping erupted from the rest of the guests who stood up from their seats. Detaching their lips, they turned and faced the crowd. Music sounded through the speakers as Nathan grabbed Haley's hand and led her down the steps. Taking Sophie from Keith's arms with his free arm, he led his two girls down the aisle and out of the church chapel. Once they were outside where the sun was shining brightly and beautifully down on them creating another positive aspect to an already perfect day, Nathan brought Haley and Sophie into him. He smiled at Haley as they leaned forward and kissed one another staying locked in their embrace until Sophie broke them apart causing them to laugh. "We're married." Haley said smiling lovingly at him.

"We are. We're officially a family now." He said softly caressing her cheek. He watched her as she stared at him. "What are you thinking about in that beautiful head of yours?" He asked noticing she seemed to be thinking about something.

"I'm just thinking about the day you proposed to me." She said getting lost in his eyes. "Both of you." She added looking at Sophie who giggled in response.

_Haley walked along the warm sand spotting Nathan and Sophie in the near distance. She had returned home from a day of shopping which Peyton insisted on to find a note written from Nathan to come meet him and Sophie down at the beach. __"Hey." She greeted approaching them._

_Nathan smiled as he quickly leaned in kissing her chastely on the lips as Sophie mimicked him also planting one on her causing all of them to laugh. "I'm glad you're here."_

_"Me, too. But what are we doing down here?" She questioned._

_"Well, Sophie here has a little present for you." He said as Haley's eyebrows raised questioningly. "I think you might be able to find it on her neck."_

_Haley eyed him suspiciously as she took a step closer to them. She noticed a small silver chain hanging around her neck and reached for it. Pulling the necklace out from under Sophie's shirt, she saw a princess-cut diamond ring with two smaller diamonds embedded in the band on both sides of the larger one. "Nathan." She said breathlessly fingering the ring._

_"Haley," He began capturing her attention as his blue eyes met her brown ones. "The past couple of years changed my life completely. Taking away the negative aspects, I found you and Sophie. You guys changed my life. I love you more than anything in this world. I hate the circumstances in which Sophie came into our lives and would give anything to change that, but I'm also very grateful every day that she has. She was our miracle. We're a family. We always have been, but I want to make it official. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to have more babies and expand our already perfect family. I love you so much. And I want to spend the next fifty years proving that to you."_

_Haley felt the tears in her eyes but managed to hold them in._

_"So, Haley James," He said as he placed Sophie on the sand next to him before moving off to the side lowering down to one knee revealing the words 'Will you marry me?' written in the sand behind him. "Will you marry me?"_

_A big smile broke out on Haley's face as she nodded profusely. "Yes. Yes, of course!"_

_Nathan immediately stood wrapping his arms around her waist drawing her into him kissing her passionately as she threw her arms around his neck. Still kissing her, he lifted her from the sand holding her tightly against him._

* * *

><p><em>Nathan sprinted down the court glancing up at the scoreboard. There were ten seconds left on the clock and the Bobcats were down by three. His team set up their lineup as the seconds dwindled down on the clock. The Celtics were definitely bringing their best defense tonight. Nathan found himself open for not even a full second but long enough to get the ball in his hands. Facing the basket with Avery Bradley guarding him, he faked left before taking a step back behind the three point line and threw up the ball for the basket and for the win. The buzzer sounded as everyone waited. <em>_The ball soared through the net and the crowd went wild._

_"Bobcats win!"_

_Nathan made his hand into a fist and thrusted it up in the air in celebration. This is what he lived for-the adrenaline, the chanting of the crowd, the squeeking of his shoes against the wooden floor, the celebrity-all of it. He loved this game, and he loved his life. He has been the starting shooting gaurd for that past two years for the Charlotte Bobcats, and he was loving every minute of it._

_An hour later, Nathan walked out into the main area of the locker room fresh from his shower dressed in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with the word Nike written across the chest in white lettering. The hot water did wonders for his calve and shouler muscles which were incredible sore from the hard workout of his game. As he walked closer to his locker, he noticed his brother standing there. What was Lucas doing here? "Hey, Luke." He greeted as the two hugged one another quickly. "What are you doing here?"_

_"Just wanted to come and see my little brother blowing up on that court out there. That was a great game, Nate." Lucas said._

_"Yeah, it was. I was pretty damn amazing out there." Nathan said smugly as Lucas rolled his eyes. "Anyway, did you come up just for the game or what?"_

_"Actually, I was going to stay until tomorrow. So what do you say...can you help your older brother out with an extra bed?"_

_"Of course." Nathan replied._

_An hour later Nathan and Lucas were lounging on the couch now relaxing at Nathan's apartment eating some pizza and drinking a couple of beers while watching an old sports game on the television. It was good to catch up. With Nathan living here in Charlotte busy with the team and always traveling and Lucas living in Tree Hill busy with his own life, it was hard to find the time to get together. They talked on the phone and texted one another often, but it was always really nice when they could actually see each other in person. "So how's life back home?" Nathan asked taking a sip of his beer letting out a refreshing sigh._

_"Good. Actually, there is another reason why I came here today." Lucas said._

_"Oh yeah. What's that?" Nathan questioned and watched as his brother reached into the pocket of his jeans pulling out a small black velvet box. Lucas opened the box revealing a two-carot solitare diamond engagement ring. "Gosh, Luke, you know I love you and everything but seriously...this is a little to insestuous for me." He teased._

_"Shut up." Lucas demanding pushing his brother in the arm as they both laughed. "I'm going to ask Brooke to marry me."_

_"Really?" Nathan asked as he took the box out of Lucas' hand bringing it closer to his face to get a better look. He saw Lucas nodding out of the corner of his eye. "Wow. That's...congratulations, man." He said handing the ring back over to his brother._

_"Thanks."_

_"When are you going to effectively end your life?" Nathan asked jokingly._

_Lucas couldn't help but laugh. "Hopefully this coming weekend. Brooke has been busy working on the new winter lineup for her clothing line, and I've been so busy with coaching the Ravins that we haven't really spent a lot of time together. We finally forced ourselves to take the weekend off to make up for it."_

_"Well, congratulations. Brooke's a great girl. And it's about time if you ask me." Nathan said as the two guys clinked their beer bottles together._

_"And I wanted to ask you if you would be my best man." Lucas added._

_Nathan looked at his brother suddenly, "Of course." He immediately replied._

_"Thanks, Nate."_

"What are you thinking about?" Haley asked breaking Nathan out of his reverie as she saddled further into his side.

Nathan looked down at her and smiled, "Just thinking about my brother."

Haley smiled before leaning up and kissing him on the lips. "Lucas would be so happy for you." She mumbled against his lips.

"Yeah, he would." He agreed as they kissed sweetly again.

"If I could have everyone's attention." Mouth announced into the microphone while standing in the middle of the dance floor. "It is time for the best man and the matron of honor to make their toasts." He said handing the microphone over to Clay who grabbed it from him and was now standing in Mouth's previous spot.

"Well, I have known Nathan for several years now. I was his agent first and then we became friends. I've seen Nathan before Haley and Sophie, and I've seen him now after. I have to say that it has been pretty awesome to watch the transition. I give Nathan a lot of crap for going soft on me and falling for a girl. I'm surprised he never actually hit me by how much grief I gave him." Clay began sharing a look with Nathan as the rest of the guests laughed. "But in all seriousness, I can't think of a more perfect girl for him. They compliment each other with their different personalities. And I watch how they are with one another and how they are with Sophie, and I know they're going to make it work and be together for the rest of their lives. That's really all I have to say. So to Nathan and Haley." He finished holding up his glass of beer as everyone else did as well taking a drink.

Peyton took the microphone and walked until she was now standing in the middle of the floor. She turned and faced the bridal table looking directly into Haley's eyes. "Haley and I have been good friends since our junior year in high school. She was this quarky girl with such a zany personality that it was impossible not to adore her."

Haley couldn't help but laugh.

"However, Nathan seemed to be the only one who didn't. But it was just a cover since he, too, adored her. There's always been this fire between you two, and I couldn't help but feel that it could grow into something truly special if you got passed everything else. I watch you two together now, and it's amazing. There's so much love and dedication there, and I see the way you interact with Sophie. She loves you guys and you have created such an inspiring little family. I can't wait to see you add to it. So congratulations to Nathan and Haley."

The guests all lifted their glasses filled with champagne, beer, or whatever else.

"I actually have something else to add. As most of you know, it wasn't supposed to be me standing up here. It should have been Haley's best friend, Brooke Scott. I wanted to give a really special speech that really defined the relationship between these two girls who were inseperable. But honestly, I had trouble, because only Brooke and Haley could truly speak the right words about their relationship. And as fate would have it, I managed to somehow get in touch with Brooke's lawyer who informed me of a note written to Haley from Brooke. One that Haley has never read. And one that was specifically reserved for today." Peyton revealed as she opened the folded up paper in her hands.

Haley watched and waited with a look of surprise and anticipation. Her stomach was doing flip-flops as tears formed in her eyes. She felt Nathan squeezing her hand but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She just continued to stare at the note in Peyton's hands.

_Dear Haley,_

_My beautiful, intelligent tutor girl. I can't believe you're getting married. Gosh, I wish I could be there. I wish I could watch you take those vows and dance your first dance as a married couple. I wish I could see how beautiful you look in that amazing wedding gown which I made so I know it's going to look absolutely perfect on you. And I wish I could be standing there right now giving this speech in person rather than through a note._

_This was a hard note to write just like the one I wrote asking you to take care of my baby girl. I have so many things I want to say to you, and I don't know how to write them._

_You're my best friend. You're my sister. I love you so much. Ever since that first day we met when we were six years old, __you have become the most constant thing in my life. I knew I could turn to you for anything. You're the most selfless, __caring, and remarkable friend I could have ever asked for. You have the most amazing spirit about you, and you're just an amazing person in general. I could make a never-ending list of the qualities I admire most about you, but I'll spare you._

_As I write this, I am uncertain of who you're taking that leap into marriage with, but I know in my heart that he's the right guy for you. He better treat you right, because you deserve nothing but the best. You deserve to have a love that is so overwhelming and so perfect that you can't even believe it's yours. You deserve to have it all. I wish I could be there to scare him into making sure he never ever hurt you, because you know I would...but to also witness the amazing love I know is there between you two. But I will be-don't you worry. I will be looking down on you throughout the rest of your life. For the many moments that are sure to come. I will be there with you._

_So I just want to tell you that I am so happy for you. I am so proud of you, and I love you so much. Congratulations! And I'll leave you with this final piece from Shakespear...'Love is not love which alters when it alterations finds.' When life gets hard, when things change, true love remains the same. So here's to you, Haley, and whoever that lucky guy is sitting next to you...here's to hope and here's to a love that will not alter._

_And I've told you this before but I'll tell you again..._

_Lucas was the love of my life, but you are my soulmate, Haley James whatever your future last name is going to be._

_Love,_

_Brooke Scott (aka your Tigger)_

"So, that's really all I have to say except congratulations to Nathan and Haley." Peyton finished raising her champagne glass as everyone followed suit. After taking a sip, she headed back to the table and embraced Nathan in a quick hug and then moved onto Haley who hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Peyton. That speech and letter meant more to me than you'll ever know. And just for the record, you're not a substitute for Brooke. You're one of my best friends, and I love you so much. I am honored to have you as my matron of honor." Haley declared.

"I love you, Hales." Peyton said in complete gratitude over her friend's words.

Minutes later, Mouth talked into the microphone again announcing it was time for Nathan and Haley's first dance. Nathan led Haley to the center of the dance floor just as More Than Anyone by Gavin DeGraw sounded through the speakers. Haley looked up at him surprised by his song choice. "Nathan, is this..."

"Yes." He interrupted. "This was the very first song we ever dance to together which was at Lucas and Brooke's wedding.

"I can't believe you remembered that."

"Don't you know by now...I remember everything." He said passionately while caressing her cheek.

Haley closed her eyes at the feel of his warm hand against her flesh. She opened her eyes and looked into his eyes so lovingly. He was truly the most amazing man in the world. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He repeated. With his hand still resting on her cheek, he leaned down and kissed her slowly and sensually which she was only happy to return. The two got lost in their kiss and while they both yearned for more, they kept it simple and tasteful considering they were standing in the middle of the dance floor with a hundred of their closet friends and family members watching them. After several seconds, they broke apart. "You look beautiful, Hales."

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." She responded placing her hand flat on his chest. She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him one more time before resting the left side of her face against his chest as he grabbed ahold of her hand with his clasping them together resting them also against his chest while his right hand rubbed her bare back. She closed her eyes feeling completely relaxed. She was so happy right now.

* * *

><p>Haley felt Nathan take his hand away from her eyes and she opened them immediately seeing the candles stategically placed all over the bedroom as well as the rose petals spread on the bed. She smiled turning in his arms so that she could face him. Leaning up, she kissed him. "I love it. Thank you."<p>

"You're welcome." He said wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. "Happy wedding day, Mrs. Scott."

"Happy wedding night, Mr. Scott." She said in return causing him to smirk at her before they both leaned in brushing their lips together. It started out slowly but soon exploded as the passion practically erupted between them. Haley moaned as she felt Nathan's tongue moving sensually against hers. She didn't know how but each time they were together somehow was better than the last. She pulled away as he looked at her confused. "I need to go do something. Why don't you..." She began turning them and pushing him gently down to the bed, "sit here patiently and wait for me." She finished kissing him one more time before skipping away towards the bathroom grabbing her bag along the way.

Nathan did what she asked and waited as patiently as he could, but he was really needing her to come out now. All he wanted to do was make love to his beautiful wife, and he kind of needed her to do so. What could possibly be taking her so long. Flashbacks of all the times they've slept together seemed to invade his mind only causing his need for her to grow. He groaned pushing himself up from the bed. He shed out of his jacket and then set to work on the tie he felt so confined in. Just as he was pulling the tie off of his neck, he heard the door to the bathroom clicking open. Turning, he froze as he took in the sight of her as she stood in the doorway in a white see-through negligee. She looked so sexy especially with the look of pure lust sparkling in her eyes as her eyes also raked over his body.

Haley smirked as she took a step closer to him considering he was too frozen to move it appeared. She placed her hands on his hips moving her body more into him. "Do you like it?" She asked with her lips dancing along the skin of his neck leaving soft, light kisses.

Nathan closed his eyes at her ministrations. "Do I really have to answer that? You look so freaking hot." He declared wrapping his arms around her waist drawing her into him letting out a groan as she moved her kisses to the base of his neck. He then felt her little fingers unbuttoning the button on his vest before pushing it off of his body and then set to work on his shirt underneath as well until he was standing before her in nothing but his black pants. His right hand traveled lower and gripped her bare thigh running it higher underneath the fabric of her lingerae and his fingers danced along the waistline of her thong and her stomach. Hooking his fingers in the sides, he pulled them down her shapely legs as she stepped out of them herself.

Haley stared deeply into Nathan's eyes as he stood back up. Smiling softly at him, she pulled him down to her kissing him passionately on the lips moaning contently as he sucked on her bottom lip. Even though she was feeling lightheaded from their kiss, she managed to reach down between them and undo the button and zipper of his trousers and push them down his body. She yelped slightly when she felt his bare hands groping her bottom lifting her from the ground as she instinctively wrapped her legs tightly around his body while he carried her over to the bed brushing some of the rose petals away and dropping her gently down to the mattress never breaking their kiss.

The next few minutes consisted of more kissing, more touching-foreplay which had them both begging for more as the rest of their clothes were shed and thrown to the side. Now Nathan lay hovering above Haley staring deep into her eyes as he moved deep inside of her eliciting the sexiest sounds from her mouth. Sounds he never grew tired of hearing especially knowing he was the one envoking them from her.

Haley could barely process anything as she bucked her hips meeting Nathan thrust for thust staring into his ocean blue eyes which she found herself getting lost in. She couldn't help but think about how different tonight felt. They have made love countless times before, but for some reason, tonight felt different-more romantic, more intimate. Maybe it was knowing they were legally married-knowing that she was his wife and he was her husband. Maybe it was knowing that they were truly, officially a real family now-a family with Sophie and soon hopefully more children.

The connection between them right now was raw intimacy and raw passion. There really was not other way to explain it. This wasn't just another one of their love making encounters. This was forever. This meant so much more than simply showing the love between them in a physical way. It felt like they were truly uniting as one as their bodies moved with one another in syncrasy-every thrust, every moan, every touch of their hands on each other, every kiss. They were deeply connected in this moment. The look they were sharing only heightened the experience and before long, Haley felt the snap in her belly as she snapped her eyes shut, a blinding white light passing through her eyelids. She moaned his name loudly not being able to hold it in and not caring in the slightest if anyone heard them as her body shuddered experiencing arguably the most powerful orgasm she had ever experienced.

Nathan followed quickly after just two more thrusts mirroring the same mind-blowing moment she had just experienced as he groaned softly muttering Haley's name in the process while they both managed to declare the love for one another as well. Feeling his body calm down only slightly considering he knew this buzz wasn't going to go away too quickly, he dropped his body down on top of her using his forearms as leverage so he wasn't completely smashing her. His forehead rested against the pillow as they both breathed deeply with their chests rising and falling heavily. He felt her hand land on the base between his shoulder and his neck where a thin layer of sweat was formed. Finally finding some strength to move, he moved his head to her neck placing a series of kisses tasting the salty, sweetness of her skin causing her to let out a tiny moan of satisfaction.

Both Nathan and Haley hissed at the sensation of Nathan pulling out of her and dropping down to the mattress next to her as she immediately turned and curled into his side. She idly drew shapes on his chest as he rubbed her back soothingly alternating between using his fingers and his full hand which sent shivers down her spine. "That was...that was so..." Haley began not even being able to express what had just happened between them.

"Yeah." Nathan stated sharing the same sentiment.

The two continued to lay there in silence for the next several minutes as their bodies finally began to calm down and return to normal. "I miss Sophie." Haley revealed randomly into the quiet.

Nathan turned his head down and noticed she was still resting hers against his upper chest. "I do, too. But she's fine. Keith and Karen are taking good care of her."

"I know. And we definitely need this time away for just the two of us, but it's still hard. I miss her. It was really hard to say goodbye to her knowing it wouldn't be just a couple days that we wouldn't see her but much more." She replied as they both thought back to just an hour or so prior.

_"Well, it's about time for you guys to hit the road." Karen said as she and Keith approached the couple who were sitting at a nearby table with Sophie planted firmly in Nathan's lap laying against his chest._

_"I guess so." Haley mumbled._

_"What time does your plane for Acapulo leave?"_

_"Early. Very early in the morning. That's why we're not going to be coming by your place tomorrow to say goodbye. You guys will probably still be asleep, and we wouldn't want to wake you or this little one." Nathan said gesturing to the little girl in his arms._

_"Well, we appreciate that." Karen stated._

_Nathan stood up from the chair he was sitting on and extended his hand down to Haley to help pull her up as well. "I guess we should get a move on things."_

_"Yeah, you have to get started on that honeymoon." Keith said nudging him a bit._

_Haley's face grew the appropriate shade of red. It amazed her how even after all this time and after knowing that Keith and Karen very obviously knew they were already sleeping together that she still grew embarrassed. She just wasn't someone who was so open and honest about sex. She felt it was such a private thing and the whole world didn't need to know what they may or may not do. And besides, this was Keith and Karen. They were like surrogate parents to her not to mention Sophie's grandparents. She looked over to Nathan who only smirked in return causing her to roll her eyes._

_"Okay, Sophie, give us a kiss. We're going to miss you so much, sweetie." Nathan said hugging the little girl closer and tighter to his chest before giving her a kiss on the lips which she returned before handing her off to Haley who immediately drew her in closer closing her eyes._

_"I'm going to miss you, Sophie." Haley said her eyes filling with tears. Since taking custody of Sophie, she hasn't spent more than a couple of days away from her and now she was going to be apart from her for a whole week. She didn't think it would be this hard to say goodbye. "I love you."_

_Nathan couldn't help but chuckle at Haley's response. It was pretty typical and exactly what he expected out of her._

_"Okay," Haley said taking a deep breath. "Give me a kiss." She ordered and felt Sophie's lips on hers in a wet, sloppy kiss. She then handed Sophie over to Karen. "Thank you guys again for taking care of Sophie while we're gone."_

_"Are you kidding? We can't wait. And besides, Deb is going to take her for a couple of nights as well so it works out well for everyone." Karen said. She and Keith stood there watching as Nathan and Haley stalled staring at Sophie, and they couldn't help but laugh. "Go ahead. I promise you we'll take good care of her, and feel free to call us as often as you want to." Karen persuaded._

_Nathan and Haley shared a small smile with one another before they both leaned forward kissing Sophie one last time before Nathan took Haley's hand and led her out of the reception door and to their decorated SUV courtesy of Clay, Skills, David, Mouth, Junk, and Fergie. Once they were both settled in with the vehicle running, they waved goodbye to Keith, Karen, and Sophie who were standing in the doorway to the reception hall hearing Sophie call out 'bye, mommy and daddy' as they pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the hotel they had booked for the night._

"But you're right-Sophie is in good hands. We will go away and have an amazing honeymoon with some much needed alone time without any distractions, and then in a week, we will come back home to our baby girl." Haley stated.

"Very true. And maybe," Nathan began glancing over at the clock, "we should get some sleep. Our plane leaved in less the five hours only giving us maybe a couple hours, three at most, to sleep."

"We could." Haley stated before climbing on top of him strattling his legs smirking at the surprised look in his eyes. "Or we could have another round. I'm not that tired. Are you?" She questioned seductively grinding her lower body slightly into his instantly feeling his body reacting as he shook his head. "Good. And we can sleep during our four hour plane ride which might be better for you anyway considering your fear of flying."

"Hey, I am no..." Nathan was cut off mid-sentence when Haley leaned forward and began peppering kisses along his bare chest, and he immediately gripped her hips tightly with his hands. Oh yes, it was good to finally be married.

**Okay, there you go. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think! And only two more chapters left. And I hope this chapter wasn't too boring with the wedding ceremony stuff. I'm a sucker for weddings, and I wanted to write a full, detailed wedding for my favorite TV couple.**

**I have to give a little credit where credit is due...I found the wedding ceremony stuff off of the following websites and compiled some pieces together.**

**. .  
>. . <strong>

**I'm actually off this whole week, and I might put off baby stuff until this weekend when my husband can actually help me. I don't get too far on my own, because truthfully, I start crying anytime I try to get things ready. LOL! I feel like an emotional rollercoaster right now. :) But anyway, my point is that I'm feeling pretty optimistic about writing. I think I'll have another chapter for you guys sometime on Wednesday. Again, I'm not making any promises, but I do feel really good about this. I guess, we will see.**

**So anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful week! I am more than enjoying sunny (a little too hot) weather we are having here. Until the next time I put a chapter up for you guys. :)**


	29. Chapter 29

**Back with another update. I'm sorry, BUT I have some good news that might make up for it...this story is actually going to be thirty-one chapters-not thirty. I was going through my timeline and crossing things out to make sure I've covered everything before I start writing the last chapter and realized I forgot a few things. So there's actually going to be two more chapters after this one.**

**As always, thank you so much for the story alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. And a huge thanks to Stephieboo, Steffsche, HBJHOTH23 (chapters 27-28), tp404, solo73, Othfan48, luvinit, thekellay, 23OTHFan, JamesLover23, ****Naleylover23xo, Ellie, and courtneylovejason for taking the time to review. You guys are always so awesome, and it's such a pleasure to read your words. And not related to the story/OTH-I also am enjoying sharing my pregnancy and stuff with you guys. You've all been so encouraging with the words you say, and it's making me all the more excited for my little guy to appear. So again, thank you. :)**

**I "stole" a couple of 1x06 references in this chapter so I do not own that-those belong to Mark and the rest of the OTH writing crew. ;)**

**I also hope there aren't a lot of mistakes grammar/spelling wise. I did look through it, but my mind is a little scattered right now so I very easily could have missed some things.**

**Anyway, that's all I have to say. Let's get reading!**

_March 2, 2014_

"Peyton, do we have to do this today? I mean, really? I'm nine months pregnant and about to pop which is making me feel very fat and uncomfortable right now. Not to mention I have a three-almost four-year old daughter at home who keeps me crazy busy as well who I also have to pick up from Karen's in about an hour. And just to add to that, my husband is in Charlotte for work right now while I'm stuck here in Tree Hill away from him until this weekend. Can't we just go back to Deb's house and binge on some ice cream?" Haley moaned as she walked up the steps.

"So did you receive a fresh batch of hormones this last month or is this reserved specifically for me?" Peyton teased and was relieved to see a hint of a smile appear on Haley's face. "Come on, Hales. I promise you we won't be here long. I just really need your help with Mia's new album cover. She narrowed her favorites down to five shots but can't decide so she asked me to make the final choice. Please, Hales. I want to make Mia's first album amazing, and I need another opinion." She pleaded knowing there was no way Haley would bail on her now.

"Fine." Haley groaned causing Peyton to instantly smile. "But I want it on the record that I am here on extreme protest." She added.

"Noted, my overly bitchy pregnant friend." Peyton responded as Haley rolled her eyes. She led the two of them further up the stairs until they were standing in front of her door opening it.

"Surprise!"

Haley jumped startled when she heard the loud, echoing voices when she stepped foot in Peyton's house. She looked around and smiled when she saw all of her closest friends and family members standing in the room with bright smiles etched on their faces. "Oh my gosh!" She gushed. She looked sharply over at her curly blonde friend. "You are such a little liar."

Peyton laughed, "Yes, I am. And you fell for it."

"Yes, I did." Haley agreed laughing as well as she once again looked around the room at all of the guests and smiling when she saw Deb holding Sophie standing next to Karen. "This is...this is amazing." She said as tears filled her eyes.

"Oh no, preggo's at it again. Where are the tissues?" Rachel hollered jokingly.

"Shut up." Haley laughed. She, as well as everyone else, was still getting used to how often her emotions changed lately. Her hormones were messing with her big time during this pregnancy. She went from clinically depressed to out of control horny daily. She was happy and positive one minute to angry and negative in the next. She was amazed that Nathan was still with her considering he was the one who felt the brunt of her mood swings the most, but he stuck by her, and he's been really amazing through all of these months-especially helping out with Sophie and around the apartment. "Thank you, guys. Thank you so much." She went through the "line-up" and hugged each girl before ending with Deb, Karen, and Sophie. She hugged Sophie as close to her as she could before setting her down on the ground embracing both Deb and Karen together.

She looked around at all of the pink and blue decorations hanging and resting on surfaces strategically placed all over the kitchen and the living room. There were also a couple of drawings and paintings which she could tell were done by Peyton. The one that caught her eye immediately was the family portrait of Nathan, Haley, and Sophie. They had some pregnancy pictures taken just a month ago, and this was definitely one of Haley's favorites. Nathan was standing behind her with his hands resting on the sides of her protruded stomach as Sophie stood in front of her with her head reaching just under Haley's stomach as Haley's hands were on her shoulders. Sophie had the most adorable smile plastered on her face. Haley took a few more seconds to look at all of the paint details Peyton had done with the picture. She absolutely loved it and couldn't wait to show it to Nathan. "This is amazing!" She gushed looking around the rooms once again.

"Well, since you aren't finding out the sex of your baby until it's born then I wanted to make sure it was gender neutral. It was a little more difficult to do just for the record." Peyton said.

"Hey, blame Nathan for this. He's the one who wants to wait and be surprised. Me..." Haley began pointing to herself. "I wanted to find out and am only going along with this because it's something he really wants." She countered.

"I helped." Bevin jumped in enthusiastically causing everyone to laugh.

"Thanks, Bevin." Haley said through her laughter.

"Okay, listen up. Since our guest of honor has arrived, we are going to 'uncork' the bottle of white grape juice since we've got not only one but two pregnant women here." Peyton said gesturing also towards Bevin who was currently three months along. After Quinn opened the bottles, she and Rachel poured the contents into the wine glasses handing them to everyone else.

"So I would like to make a toast." Peyton began holding up her glass. "To my beautiful friend, Haley, who is pregnant for the very first time but about to be a mother to her second child. She has come a long way from where she was three years ago. She is now a proud wife and mother. She inspires me every day, and I love her very much." She turned to Haley. "This kid is very lucky to have you as a mom. You are already the most amazing mother in the world, and I can't wait for this new addition to find out for themselves. And I cannot wait to meet him or her, and I cannot wait for Ellie to have a new friend. For selfish reasons, I hope it's a girl so our two daughter can grow up to be best friends."

Haley smiled at that instantly thinking about Brooke and their special bond. Having a daughter who could share maybe share something like that with Peyton's daughter, Ellie, would be more than amazing. She and Peyton shared a smile with one another before Peyton continued.

"So...to Haley James Scott and this very lucky unborn baby." Peyton finished as everyone clinked their glasses together and took a sip of their white grape juice.

"Thank you, Peyton." Haley said as the two girls embraced. "Now please feel free to uncork the real champagne. Just because Bevin and I can't drink doesn't mean you guys can't." She added after they broke apart.

"Well, you heard the girl." Rachel said whipping out a bottle of champagne pouring the new drink into all of the glasses with the exception of Haley's, Bevins, Deb's, and Karen's.

Haley laughed before feeling something tugging on her jeans. "Mommy." She looked down and noticed Sophie standing in front of her looking up at her. "What, sweetie?"

"Party for the baby." Sophie said pointing to Haley's stomach.

"Yes, it is. Are you excited to meet your new baby brother or sister?" Haley asked in a higher pitched voice.

"My sister." Sophie stated.

"Well, I guess we know which one she wants." Karen said laughing.

"Yeah, Sophie here wants a sister. She talks about it all of the time, doesn't she, Deb." Haley stated as her mother-in-law nodded.

"That's my girl." Peyton chimed in.

Haley laughed and glanced down just in time to see Sophie lean up and forward before kissing her protruding stomach.

"Oh my gosh, that is one of the most precious things I have ever seen." Quinn gushed as a few 'awws' sounded from the other girls who were staring at Sophie looking as if they were about to melt.

Haley smiled. She loved when Sophie kissed her stomach like that. Sophie has been so wonderful and understanding of this whole situation. Every night when she read or sang Sophie to sleep, the two girls talked about the new baby. The little girl was just as excited as she and Nathan were and eagerly helped with all of the baby preperations.

"Okay, guest of honor." Peyton said as she grabbed ahold of Haley's hand and led her to the big, plush chair in the living room. "You sit down right here while I make you a plate of food. Do you want a little bit of everything?"

"Uh, duh. And not a little." Haley responded as she pulled Sophie up to sit in her lap.

Three hours later, the girls were all still having a great time. They were still munching on the food and desserts and since the champagne and white grape juice was completely consumed, they had switched to water, pink lemonade, and pop. Haley had opened all of her presents making her realize just how amazing her group of friends and family truly were. Not that she didn't already know this, but it just re-emphasized it. Even Victoria, who had been invited but due to work couldn't make it, had sent a couple big boxes full of baby clothes-gender neutral of course with a few pieces of clothing specifically for each sex. Brooke had mention a few years back that it might be really cool to start up a baby line with Clothes Over Bros and drew up some sketches. Victoria took the idea and ran with it which has been fairly successful but still building.

Now, the girls were all just sitting around relaxing and talking. There were various discussions occuring all around the room. Mia, Millie, Lauren, and Sarah were in one corner talking. Sarah was actually Clay's girlfriend. He had surprised both Nathan and Haley when he revealed he had a new girlfriend and had been dating her for several months in fact. He was still the same old Clay, but they did notice a change in him as well. Sarah fit right in with Haley and Quinn, and the three girls enjoyed several shopping and lunch excursions. And Haley loved having another close girlfriend in Charlotte to hang out with and talk to. Sophie was on the floor in front of the television playing with some toys with Jenny sitting with her, Ellie sleeping peacefully in her hands. Deb, Karen, Rachel, Bevin, Quinn, Peyton, and Haley were all congregated together on the other side of the living room.

"Rachel, when is your big day?" Deb asked.

"Three months. May 10." Rachel answered.

"Wow, that's approaching quickly."

"It is but at the same time, not soon enough." Rachel said laughing. "I have everything ready surprisingly and now I just want to walk down that aisle and become Rachel Morello. The only things I'm mildly worried about are these two of here." She said pointing to Haley and Bevin.

"What? Why?" Haley asked.

"Because I'm worried about you guys fitting in your dresses." Rachel stated before smiling indicating she was teasing as they all laughed.

"Well, sorry but unlike Bevin who was trying to get pregnant," Haley began as Bevin mock pouted. "I wasn't trying. This baby is a product of birth control."

"Yeah and honeymoon luck." Peyton added.

"So is this really a honeymoon baby?" Quinn asked.

"You know, Nathan and I have gone over this more times then we can count but we're pretty sure it is. It's really hard to finalize on an actual date in general unless you've had sex one time in months."

"Which we know isn't the case for Nathan and Haley," Rachel jumped in, "since they pretty much do it like rabbits. I don't think they'll ever know for sure or not." She finished laughing almost hysterically at the look on her friend's face.

Haley's face grew a deep shade of red and glanced over to Karen and Deb who only smiled in return. Even though Rachel did have an excellent point, that wasn't exactly something Haley wanted to talk about right now. "Anyway," she began clapping her hands together, "new subject. Nathan and I have been talking about going to Florida, specifically Disney World, in a couple years. Sophie will be six and this little one will be a couple years old, and thought it might be a great time to go. And we were actually going to see if anyone else wants to come with us. I don't know, we could make a family vacation of sorts out of it."

"That would be awesome. Jenny and Ellie would love that. Jenny has wanted to go to Disney World for some time now, and Jake and I have talked about it but never actually did anything about it. So you can definitely count us in." Peyton said. "Let's just hope this Florida trip has a better ending than the spring break one." She added as she shared a look with Haley, Rachel, and Bevin before they began laughing.

"Oh my gosh, don't bring that trip up." Haley said through her laughter.

"Okay, I am clearly missing something." Quinn spoke up. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Our senior spring break." Rachel said.

"It was awful." Haley quickly added.

"So tell me about it." Quinn urged.

Haley and Peyton shared a look of amusement and shook their heads still laughing before recanting their spring break trip to "Florida" their senior year of high school.

_"We're going on a road trip! We're going on a road trip!" Brooke chanted over and over as she threw pieces of clothing into an open suitcase laying on her bed. Haley was sprawled out on the other side of the bed with her AP Calculus book open as she read through the pages studying the printed material. Brooke paused momentarily from her task to look at her friend. She rolled her eyes, "Hales, do you ever not study?"_

_"Do you ever actually study?" Haley countered playfully glancing up towards the brunette and smiling._

_"Why would I study when I have a genius best friend who does the work for me?"_

_Haley's mouth dropped open, "Excuse me, but when have I ever done your homework? You know I would never ever do that -even for you." She protested._

_"Relax, Tutor Girl. I'm just messing with you." Brooke said. "Besides if you have been doing my work for me then I must have missed that when I looked at my report card."_

_Haley couldn't help but chuckle._

_"Anyway, can you please just put the book away? I want to model some of my clothes for you." Brooke asked clapping her hands together in excitement. "And shouldn't you be packing anyway? We leave tomorrow."_

_"I don't know if..." Haley began quietly and paused looking down at her hands fidgeting in her lap. She looked up to Brooke who gave her a look urging her to continue. "I don't think I'm going to go."_

_"What? Why?" Brooke exclaimed dropping everything she was doing and climbing onto the bed next to Haley. "What do you mean you're not going to go? Haley, it's spring break. You're my best friend, and I want to spend the week with you laying out on the beach. And we are all going to Key West together as a group. You can't not go."_

_"Brooke, it's a lot of money. I have to dip into my savings to cover the cost, and I'm trying to save everything I can for Stanford. And if I stay here I can pick up some extra shifts at the cafe and save some more money. Going to Florida just seems like money wasted when I could use it for college." Haley explained. She grew confused as Brooke started laughing and stood up from the bed and resumed with her packing. "Okay, what's so funny?"_

_"Haley, you're going." Brooke said casually before looking at her. "Because it's already paid for."_

_"How?"_

_"Well, since the only thing we have to pay for since we're driving is the gas and the hotel rooms, the guys are paying for everything." Brooke answered._

_"Really? Why would they do that?"_

_"Who cares why they're doing it? The point is that they are, and we're going to Florida. Road trip!" Brooke exclaimed._

_Haley laughed as she watched her friend throw items into the open suitcase once again. She still lulled over everything in her head. Even with the gas and the hotel paid for, she would still have to pay for any food she bought or any of the extra excursions they would go on. Maybe she could just buy some food for the hotel room rather than going out to eat which would save some money._

_"Haley, stop worrying so much. You of all people need a vacation so please just put everything in the back of your mind and try to have fun. All of us together enjoying the beautiful sunshine and simply relaxing while partying with some other spring breakers-it's going to be a great week." Brooke said._

_"Yeah. Maybe you're right." Haley relented._

_"Of course I'm right." Brooke stated smugly causing Haley to shake her head rolling her eyes. "Now...put that book down and help me decide which bikinis I should take with me. I have several to choose from, and I need my BFF's stamp of approval." She said as she began sorting through all of her bathing suits. "Oh, oh!"_

_"What?" Haley questioned._

_"I found the perfect one for you." Brooke said as she held up a bikini with a pair of yellow string bottoms and a thin strapped halter top which was different colors horizontally layered onto of one another consisting of yellow, pink, blue, __white, green, and a lighter purple color. "I've been meaning to give it to your for like ever now, but I keep forgetting."_

_"I don't know, Brooke." Haley hesitated as she looked at the garments in her friend's hands._

_"What's your lame excuse this time?" Brooke challenged. "It's not skimpy or see-through or anything like that. It's actually really conservative. Why you choose to hide that body of yours I'll never understand." She stated as Haley rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Come on, Hales. Can you just try it on for me? Please."_

_Haley laughed as Brooke placed her hands together in a pleading stance and pouted her lips for overall effect. She groaned hopping off of the bed, "Fine." She relented yanking the bikini from her friend's hands and stalking away into the bathroom._

_"You should know by now that I always get what I want." Brooke mumbled under her breath._

_"Umm, what was that?" Haley asked amused sticking her head out from the bathroom._

_"I said you're going to look super hot so hurry up." Brooke smirked as Haley shook her head and closed the door._

* * *

><p><em>With her one large duffle bag draped over her right shoulder, Haley approached the back of the SUV where the trunk was wide open. She immediately noticed Nathan loading up what appeared to be everyone else's luggage as well as his own. <em>_"Hey." She greeted._

_Nathan turned at the sound of her voice, "Oh, yah, it's you." He deadpanned. "I was really hoping you would decide not to come." He smirked at the glare she sent his way and then looked her up and down. "Nice outfit."_

_Haley looked down at her appearance-a pair of plaid pajama pants with different shades of blue and white and black colors, a navy blue sweatshirt with a white spaghetti strapped tank top, and a pair of navy blue flip flops. Her slightly damp hair still drying from her shower was thrown up in a messy bun. "Thanks for your approval, but I am not about to be uncomfortable for a fifteen hour car ride." She defended herself._

_"Well, you'll be sure to have heads turning." He said with a small smirk forming from his lips._

_Haley sent a sarcastic smile his way. Was this really how this whole trip with him was going to be? She couldn't help but mentally ask herself. She did not want to deal with him. "Whatever. Can we please just try to be civil this trip? We'll probably hardly see one another anyway."_

_"Oh, that's where you are wrong, Haley James." He said as she looked at him confused. He dropped the bag he was holding into the trunk before leaning down closer to her. "Guess who's going to be in the same car for the next fifteen hours?" He revealed and smirked at the look of surprise on her face. "Yup, that's right. You and me. Fifteen long hours." He taunted._

_"Oh, that is not happening. I cannot be confined in a small space like that with you for almost a full day. It just isn't going to happen." She said turning on her heel. "Brooke!"_

_Nathan laughed at her retreating form before going back to loading up the rest of the luggage. "Nathan, can you ever just leave her alone?" A voice he recognized as Lucas' sounded from behind him. He laughed some more as his brother came to stand next to him. "Lighten up, Luke. It's all in good fun." He said._

_"Yeah. I can tell Haley feels the same." Lucas said as both guys turned their heads to see Haley talking very animatedly with her hands to Brooke who only stood there seemingly unfazed. They both shook their heads and laughed at the more than amusing scene. __"Well, are you ready to go to Florida?"_

_"Oh, yeah. I am more than ready-the booze, the parties, the beach, the girls on the beach. I can't wait. This is going to be a great week." Nathan said._

_"I'm surprised Dan let you go."_

_"I didn't tell him." Nathan stated shrugging his shoulders._

_"What do you mean you didn't tell him?" Lucas asked._

_"He doesn't know I left, and he doesn't know where I'm going. I got all of the cash I need out of the ATM so he can't trace it. __I do have an emergency credit card, but I don't plan on using that unless it's necessary. I left a note on the refrigerator that I was going away for spring break and would be back on either Saturday night or Sunday morning. I'm sure he'll call and give me hell, but I don't plan on answering." Nathan explained._

_"Dan's going to be pissed. You might not want to go back to Tree Hill." Lucas joked._

_"Yeah, I know. I'll deal with it then, but right now, I plan on enjoying my spring break without Dan around." Nathan said and the two finished loading up the Denali just as Brooke and an irritated Haley came walking back over to them._

_"Well, hello boyfriend." Brooke greeted kissing Lucas on the lips._

_Nathan turned away from the disgusting sight and looked over at Haley. "What's with the scowl etched on your face, Hales? __Don't you want to spend the next fifteen or so hours with me?" He questioned smugly._

_"Bite me."_

_"Gladly." He returned as she rolled her eyes._

_"Here!" She exclaimed thrusting her bag into his chest and watched mildly satisfied as he stumbled back slightly. "Put this away, bag boy." She demanded turning around and heading over to where Rachel and Bevin were with Skills and Mouth leaving Nathan to once again laugh at her as he loaded her bag into the vehicle._

* * *

><p><em>Brooke and Haley lounged comfortably in the very back seat with Jake and Peyton in the seat in front of them, Lucas in the passenger seat, and Nathan driving. Peyton was leaning against the window turned so the three girls could engage in some gossiping type of conversation while the guys were engaging in their own sports conversation. They were a good fours hours into their approximate fifteen hour drive. Rachel and everyone else in her Denali were probably about an hour ahead of them due to their earlier departure since Nathan, Lucas, and Jake insisted on stopping at the cafe to pick up some food Karen had prepared for all of them on their trip. She also packed them another cooler full of drinks.<em>

_"Nate, when are you going to call that uncle of yours and take us to his race track? Lucas said Cooper let you guys drive the last time you two went down there. Man, what I would give to drive one of those cars." Jake said._

_"Well, now probably isn't a good time. He's training right now and trying to get his stats and stuff up since races are going to be starting soon. But maybe this coming fall if we are all able to get out there. Coop said anytime we want to to give him a call, and he'll arrange for a visit. And Jake, you're going to love it." Nathan began as Lucas nodded his head in agreement._

_"Yeah, it's such an exhilerating feeling-going close to one hundred and fifty miles per hour. It's pretty awesome." Lucas added._

_"Nathan, how about we stop at the next rest stop or gas station? I really have to go to the bathroom." Haley called from the back seat. She had been holding it in for as long as she could, but pains were actually starting to shoot through her stomach._

_"How about no." He quipped._

_"Why not?"_

_"Because we are already behind schedule and..."_

_"Umm...who's fault is that?" Brooke interrupted him. "If I remember correctly it was you three boys who wanted to stop by the cafe."_

_The guys all glanced at one another before Nathan spoke again, "I don't care who's fault it is. And don't tell me you three haven't been enjoying those snacks and drinks, because Haley's bladder is telling a different story."_

_"You know, Nathan," Haley began. "You should really get out and stretch your legs. You've been driving over four hours straight now since you don't want anyone else to drive your precious vehicle." She quipped._

_"I'm fine." He lied. His legs were starting to feel a bit cramped, but he didn't want to give in so quickly. He wanted to stop when he felt it was the right time._

_"You really need to lose the tough guy macho crap and get over youself. And I am being serious about stretching your legs. It's not good for them." She argued._

_Lucas rolled his eyes at his brother, "Nate, just pull over at the next stop."_

_"No. We are behind schedule." Nathan said firmly._

_"Fine. Damage your knees. I'm sure the NBA would love to get a player who's knees are going to be a problem sooner rather than later." Haley said 'off-handedly'._

_Nathan cursed under his breath. As much as he hated to admit it, Haley was right. He noticed a sign displaying a gas station symbol for the next exit one mile away._

_Haley shared a triumphant and smug smiled with Brooke and Peyton. She knew she had him now, and she was relieved, __because she felt like she could explode at any moment._

_Just a few short minutes later, Haley was walking out of arguably one of the most disgusting bathrooms she had ever been in. Did they not believe in cleaning? And she really wasn't being overdramatic or overexaggerating either. She didn't expect it to be anything amazing since it was a public restroom in a gas station along the highway, but this was awful. The tile of the floor was brown and had several knicks in it. There were three cracks in the mirror. Both the sink and the toilet had rust spots all along the porcelain. The actual toilet seat was a faded brown color. Toilet paper mounted the floor along with other garbage and old, moldy food particals. There was also some toilet paper clogged in the toilet. Bugs were crawling along the floor and spider webs hung from the ceiling which was full of water spots. Haley had every intention of turning around and running out of that bathroom, but she really had to go and knew there was no chance of Nathan stopping somewhere else. So without actually sitting down on the toilet, she did what she had to do, washed her hands with just water since the soap dispenser was empty, and rushed out._

_Meanwhile, Nathan was in the candy aisle looking for a package of gum. He needed something to chew while he drove the next set of hours. He knew he would probably concede with letting someone else drive soon. He was getting tired and his body was getting sore. This stop helped greatly, but he knew it wouldn't last too much longer. Of course, it would be either Lucas or Jake who drove. Peyton was a definite no considering how "angry chick" driving. Brooke would make them listen to whatever crappy music she chose. And Haley...well, he just didn't want her driving his SUV. She was probably way too tiny to see over the steering wheel anyway. He was lost in his thoughts and concentrating on his current task when a voice sounded._

_"Dude, your girlfriend's hot."_

_He turned confused noticing a guy maybe around his age or early twenties standing next to him. "Huh?" He asked and realized the guy was staring passed him so he turned around and saw Haley reaching into the cooler and grabbing a bottle of water. He turned back towards the guys to tell him that she wasn't his girlfriend when he noticed the way the guy was leering at her. Not just leering in a casual way like guys tended to do but a sick, perverted type of way. "Yeah, she is pretty hot. And I would appreciate it if you kept your eyes off of her. Do you understand me?" He said stepping closer to the guy in a threatening way to make his point._

_"Sorry, dude." The guy stated putting his hands up before walking away to another aisle._

_Nathan rolled his eyes muttering "punk" under his breath. He quickly settled on a package of gum and rushed up to the cash register where Haley was already standing in line behind one other person. He discreetly glanced behind him and noticed that guy staring at them so he wrapped his right arm around Haley's shoulders._

_"What are you doing?" Haley asked when she felt Nathan's arm around her._

_"I'll explain later. Just go with this for now."_

_Haley looked at him unamused before turning her head away from him. "Whatever." She mumbled not even bothering to take this conversation any further. She really didn't have an interest in why he was acting the way he was. The guy in front of them grabbed his purchased item and walked out of the line as the cashier smiled at her warmly. She was surprised when Nathan took the water from her hand and placed it and his pack of gum on the counter reaching for his wallet for some cash. Again, she wasn't in the mood to argue with him or question why he does the things he does and went ahead and let him pay for it._

_"Do you really think you should get that?" Nathan asked pointing towards the water. "We are not making anymore unscheduled stops, and you seem to have a weak bladder."_

_Haley looked up and noticed the cashier watching them with interest so she smiled politely at her before turning to Nathan. "I'll be fine." She assured him._

_"You better be, because I'm not kidding about the no stops thing." He said as he reached for his gum._

_Haley did the same with her water issuing out a 'thank you' to the cashier and heading towards the door to exit the gas station with Nathan right beside her and his arm still resting around her shoulders. Once they were a few feet outside, she brushed his arm off of her. "Do you mind telling me what that little display was in there?" She questioned._

_"This guy was leering at you." He responded casually._

_"And?" She asked not understanding the big deal._

_"And? The guy was a creep, Hales. He was like drooling over you and undressing you with his eyes. I just thought that I'd make a point and get him to stop."_

_Haley cringed slightly at the thought of some guy staring at her like that, "Well, thank you." She said quietly._

_"You're welcome." He replied smugly._

_"But next time, mind your own business." She added sharply before climbing back into the SUV all the way in the back seat next to Brooke._

_"Feel better?" Peyton asked just as Nathan climbed back into the driver's seat and looked into his rearview mirror and smirked at Haley._

_Haley rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I'm great. Let's go."_

* * *

><p><em>Lucas listened to the quiet music that was playing through the speakers as he drove along the interstate. He and Nathan had switched positions close to three hours ago, and they were now about ten hours into their drive leaving them with less than five more to go. He glanced to his side and saw Nathan reclined slightly back sleeping before glancing in the rearview mirror and saw the other four sleeping <em>_as well with Jake and Peyton now in the very back seat and Brooke and Haley in the seat right behind him and Nathan. He felt really great considering he slept during the three hours Nathan drove once they left the rest stop._

_He continued to look at the passing scenery when something sounded loudly in the engine. He looked down and noticed a yellow light flashing next to the speedometer. "What the..." The grinding, scratchy noise continued to sound waking everyone up._

_"What's going on up there?" Haley asked groggily._

_Nathan turned and glanced at the speedometer and noticed the blinking yellow light. He looked around and spotted a rest stop just a few feet away. "Hey, see if you can pull into that rest strop." He said which luckily the car was able to make it that far. Once it was in park, the two guys jumped out of the car and pop open the hood to check things out. "So what's going on?" Nathan asked as he watched his brother stare at the engine._

_"I don't know. It's all electronical, and I can't tell what's wrong." He said dropping the hood back down. "We're going to have to call someone, because there's nothing I can do."_

_The other four watched from inside growing more and more impatient. Once Lucas closed the hood, Brooke shifted in her seat, "This is ridiculous!" She bit out as she opened the door on her side. Due to her agitated state, she tripped over her foot and missed the step falling hard on her ankle immediately feeling an intense pain before dropping down to the gravel underneath her. Everyone immediately rushed to her as she sat on the ground holding her ankle crying in pain. "Brooke, are you okay?" Lucas asked._

_Brooke looked up to her boyfriend incredulously, "Does it looke like I'm okay? Really? Well, since you are obviously completely blind and don't see that I'm sitting here in pain then let me spell is out for you...yes, I'm in pain! And no I am not okay! My ankle is freaking throbbing right now, and all you can do is stand there and ask me if I'm okay. What the hell is wrong with you?"_

_"I'm going to call around for a tow truck." Nathan quickly threw out immediately walked a few feet away from the group as Brooke continued to rant._

_The others simply stood there and listened as Brooke complained for the next five minutes before they noticed Nathan walking back to the group-anger etched all over his features. __"Great!" Nathan exclaimed sarcastically as he snapped his phone shut._

_"What's going on?" Lucas asked._

_"Oh, nothing except for the fact that they won't be able to get someone out here to tow the car until tomorrow morning which means we're basically stuck here until then considering we are in the middle of nowhere with no hotels around to check into for the night, no luggage or other clothes since it's all with the others, and Brooke's constant bitching and moaning."_

_"Hey!" Brooke exclaimed protesting. "I got hurt, okay."_

_"Well, it's annoying so just shut the hell up. We are all sick and tired of it!" Nathan snapped as Brooke glared up at him._

_"Okay, Nate and I are going to go take a little walk." Lucas jumped in quickly pulling his brother away with him before Brooke could go off on another tirant against him._

_It was ten minutes later when Lucas and Nathan came walking back up to the group. Brooke was laying down in the back seat with her foot elevated up as Peyton and Haley were lounging as comfortably as they could in the seat in front of her while Jake sat in the passenger seat-all doors open. "I should call Skills and let them know what's going on. While we were gone, I called the auto shop that they're going to take the car to, and they said they would be able to get it finished hopefully by mid-afternoon tomorrow as long as they have the part." Nathan said as he began dialing Skills' number._

_"Hey, Skills. Listen, we ran into a little bit of car trouble. To make a long story short, a tow truck can't come until tomorrow and it won't be fixed until maybe tomorrow night." He listened as Skills talked. "No, that's okay. Don't worry about turning around. Go ahead and keep driving. We'll be fine. But since we can check into the rooms, could you let them know the situation and ask them to hold it until Monday?" He asked and listened again as Skills talked. "Thanks, man. Just give me a call when you get there and let us know what they say. See ya."_

_"Well, at least they'll get to enjoy the sunshine." Brooke mumbled from the back seat._

_"Hey, now," Peyton began, "we do, too. I mean, look at the beautiful sunshine shining down on us right now."_

_Haley couldn't help but laugh. Brooke groaned rolling her eyes as the two other girls shared a look of amusement._

_"I am so glad you guys find this funny. My spring break is ruined. I had the perfect week planned-down to the seconds. And it was all for what?" Brooke began to rant as everyone rolled their eyes. "I spent hours packing deciding what outfits and shoes and accessories to bring. I modeled a dozen bikinis off for Haley. I got a waxed in all the right places. I got my nails done and my hair done. I did it all for what? All so I can get stranded on the side of the road-not to mention spraining my ankle. Yeah, this is so freaking hilarious!"_

_"Does anyone want something to drink?" Nathan asked heading to open the trunk as everyone except Brooke immediately said 'yes'. As he dug through the cooler grabbing a drink for everyone and handing them out, he looked over the seat and down at Brooke. "Brooke, do you want something to drink?"_

_"I don't care, Nathan!" She exclaimed and just seconds later, he handed her a bottle of water. "Oh, thank you so much." She bit out sarcastically snatching the drink from his hand. "If only you wouldn't have been such a moron and actually made sure everything was good with the engine before we decided to drive for fifteen hours then we would still be one our way to Florida right now. But hey, at least you could get me a drink. Yeah, thank you so much!"_

_"Brooke," Haley began turning in her seat._

_"What!" Brooke barked harshly._

_"Oookay, then." Haley said turning back around glancing at Peyton who only rolled her eyes in response while shaking her head._

_Ten minutes later, Nathan was laying flat on his back on the surface of one of the picnic tables near the building where the bathrooms were with Lucas, Jake, Peyton, and Haley sitting on the two benches connected trying to stay as far away from Brooke, who was still in the SUV, as they could which wasn't very far-a couple feet maybe. They were just sitting there without much to say-it was hot, they were bored, they were hungry for anything but the little snacks Karen made for them and snacks from the vending machines._

_Haley heard a noise and turned noticing Brooke was attempting to climb out of the SUV. She mentally questioned whether she should go help her friend who was in an 'oh so pleasant' mood or just watch her struggle on her own. After only a second of debating, she groaned and pushed herself up from the picnic table and walked the couple of feet over to the SUV. "Haley!" Brooke exclaimed as she stumbled out of the SUV just as Haley caught ahold of her. __"Haley!" Brooke repeated draping her hands around Haley's neck._

_"What ar..." Haley began cutting herself off as she turned to look at everyone else who was now standing and walking closer to them._

_"Hey, everyone! This is Haley. She's my very best friend in the whole wide world. Isn't she pretty?" Brooke said resting her head against Haley's shoulders._

_"What is this?" Haley asked confused by her friend's behavior._

_"I may have slipped a couple of pain pills that I got from my mom into her water." Nathan admitted smirking._

_"Nathan! What the hell were you thinking?" Lucas chided rushing over to his girlfriend's side._

_"She's fine, Luke." Nathan brushed it off. "They're legal and completely safe." He added and looked around at everyone who was glaring at him. "What? Look, she was being an annoying bitch, and I wanted to shut her up."_

_"And drugging her was the way to do that?" Haley bit out instantly flashing back to the night someone had drugged her. She felt like the blood drained from her face as she thought about what could have happened that night and how someone could even think about doing something like that._

_Nathan immediately softened when he saw the expression on Haley's face and knew instantly what she was thinking about. "Haley," He began softly taking a step closer to her. "I would never hurt Brooke. The pills I gave her were just a couple of pain pills which obviously can make you a little out of it, but that's all. She's going to be fine. I would never give her something that would hurt her, okay." He affirmed._

_"Okay." She responded quietly. She believed him. Nathan was a lot of things, but when it came to his friends, she honestly never thought he would do anything that would hurt them or harm them in some way. She stared at him as they shared a soft smile._

_"Aww, aren't you guys so cute!" Brooke exclaimed in a high pitched voice breaking them out of their reverie as they quickly looked away._

_"I think we should take her over to the table so she can sit down." Haley suggested focusing her attention back on her friend._

_"Sounds like a plan." Lucas agreed as he detached Brooke from Haley's body and picked her up in his hands as Haley shut the door to the SUV._

_"I hear birds." Brooke said._

_Nathan looked at her and scrunched up his face before shaking his head._

_"You sure drugged up Brooke is better than bitchy Brooke?" Peyton asked standing next to him._

_"Let me get back to you on that." He said as they followed Lucas, Haley, and Jake over to the picnic tables._

_A couple hours passed and the sun was beginning to set slightly. Brooke had passed out in the front back seat of the vehicle, Jake and Peyton were laying down in the seat behind her leaving Lucas, Nathan, and Haley who were actually laying on the hood of the car still bored out of their minds. Just then, Nathan's obnoxiously loud ringtone sounded as he dug into the pocket of his jeans to get it out. "Hey, Skills. Did you make it okay?" He asked listening to the response. "What? Are you kidding me?" He exclaimed causing Lucas and Haley to turn and watch him as he pushed himself up from the hood and climb down. "There's nothing else?"_

_Lucas climbed down next and helped Haley down as well, and the two went to stand next to Nathan who looked anything but happy right now. "Okay, thanks for trying and calling. You guys have fun, and we'll see you later." He said ending his call._

_"What's going on now?" Lucas asked._

_"They couldn't hold onto our reservations. They're fully booked, and there were people who were actually there who wanted the rooms so they gave them away. Skills called all of the other hotels around, and they are also all booked."_

_"So that means..." Haley questioned._

_"That means that we have no place to stay when we even get to Florida unless all ten of us want to share one bedroom. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to do that. So I guess that means we get the car fixed and turn around and head back home. So much for the great spring break week, huh?" Nathan said irritated as he turned on his heel and walked away from them._

* * *

><p><em>Haley turned for like the tenth time trying to find a comfortable position. She was a relatively tiny and petite girl but trying to sleep in the passenger seat even with it reclined backward was proving to be pretty difficult. She let out a sigh when her left hip hit the seatbelt latch.<em>

_"If you don't stop moving, I'm going to deck you. I don't care if you're a girl half my size or not. I swear I will." Nathan bit out keeping his eyes closed from the driver's side._

_Haley cut her eyes over to him and then looked at how he was sleeping. He was much taller and bigger built than she is. __How in the world was he not complaining right now?_

_When Haley didn't say anything, he opened his eyes and found her staring right at him. "What?" He asked._

_"You cannot lay there and tell me you are comfortable."_

_"I never said I was. In fact, I'm miserable but I'm even more annoyed at the rukus you're making not to mention every time you move the car shakes. So stop." He demanded in irritation._

_"Sorry." She mumbled._

_Seconds passed and Nathan sighed. He was so uncomfortable. Not only the awkward way he was laying but add the fact that his legs kept hitting the steering wheel and it was enough to irritate the hell out of him. Damn Lucas, Brooke, Jake, __and Peyton for being couples who could share the back two seats. He glanced back at them as they all appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Another couple of seconds passed and Nathan couldn't take it anymore. Now he was even more pissed at Haley for only emphasizing how uncomfortable this was._

_Haley heard a door open, and she opened her eyes and saw Nathan climbing out of the SUV. She quirked her eyebrows in confusion. What was he doing? She tilted her head up and back following his form and watched as he opened the trunk and began rummaging through some stuff. A minute later, she saw him grab something, close the trunk, and walk back around towards the driver's side and kept walking until he was a few feet in front of the SUV stopping in a grassy area. __Opening the door and closing it softly behind her, she followed him. "What are you doing?" She asked as he spread a blanket on the grass._

_"What's it look like?" He bit out._

_Haley didn't respond but simply watched him smooth out the blanket before lowering to the ground laying on top of it and throwing a second blanket over him. "Are you going to lay down or not?" She heard him ask. She almost jumped at the sharp tone of his voice. She darted her eyes over the blanket, the grass, and Nathan contemplating if she should. She wasn't one of those girly girls by any means but she also wasn't an outdoorsy type of girl either. There were bugs crawling on the ground and spiders. She cringed at that thought._

_"Haley!" He exclaimed. Gosh, she was so annoying. Did she just want to stand there all night?_

_Haley lowered down to the blanket and laid down covering with the other blanket. With no pillows, they were both laying completely flat on the blanket and they could feel the lumps from the ground underneath them. But it was still ten times more comfortable than their previous positions. She closed her eyes trying to will herself to sleep when she felt the top blanket shift off of her upper body. She opened her eyes and saw Nathan stripping out of his sweatshirt before rolling it into a makeshift pillow putting it down. He gestured for her to share in which she readily accepted as they laid back adjusting themselved until they in their most comfortable positions._

_The two of them laid there quietly only hearing the sounds of the crickets chirping and the light, steady sound of their breathing. Still awake, they started at the bright stars in the sky above them. Nathan was enjoying the stillness of the night when he heard Haley laughing next to him. "What is so funny?" He asked turning his head towards her._

_"This." She said using her hands to gesture in the air above them. "This is what my spring break consists of-a messed up car, no luggage, sleeping on the ground with my nemesis..."_

_Nathan couldn't help but laugh at that._

_"I mean...really? I almost didn't come, because I didn't want to spend the money. I guess I don't have to really worry about that now, do I?" She questioned rhetorically still laughing._

_"No, I guess not." He agreed joining in the laughter. "Yeah, this wasn't my ideal spring break either."_

_"True. Think about all of those girls who are missing out on hooking up with the 'oh so sexy' Nathan Scott. Oh my gosh! __Whatever will they do?" Haley said dramatically._

_"They've probably secluded themselves in a corner crying their eyes out."_

_"Yeah, because that's happening." She said rolling her eyes playfully._

_"Hey, they know they're missing out on a good thing." He said smirking as she rolled her eyes again. "You know, Hales..." __He began turning on his side to face her. "I could always show you firsthand and then you can report all of the details to those poor girls who unfortunately missed the real deal."_

_"Really? Oh yes! Please, Nathan, show me what you can do to me!" She fake moaned._

_"Okay. If you insist." He said climbing half on top of her. He laughed as she yelled to get off of her while pushing him away. "So forceful. You do know how I like it."_

_"I'll show you forceful." She stated before punching him in his arm._

_Nathan chuckled and rubbed his arm. For such a little person, she could actually throw a somewhat decent punch. He turned onto his back again. "Have you noticed how we always manage to find ourselves in these types of positions?" He asked._

_Haley thought about that and smiled, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I think someone up there enjoys punishing us."_

_"Sounds about right." He agreed. The minutes went by and the two didn't say another word but enjoyed the silence. He heard a light, steady breathing and he turned his head to find Haley curled on her left side facing him with her hands up against the 'pillow' and the side of her face was resting against them as she slept peacefully. He spent the next few minutes watching her sleep. He smiled feeling the exhaustion hit him more and more, and he finally closed his eyes willing himself to fall asleep as well._

Peyton and Haley finished their story and had all of the girls laughing. "Well, at least the trip was memorable." Quinn stated.

"Yeah, despite the drawbacks it was a pretty fun trip." Haley said as Peyton nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes, and while you two were sleeping on the ground and in cars, we..." Rachel began pointing to herself and Bevin, "were enjoying the beautiful Florida sunshine with Skills and Mouth."

"You guys suck." Peyton teased laughing.

Haley pushed herself up from the chair and headed into the kitchen to fill her glass of pink lemonade. All of the other girls offered to get it for her, but she needed to get out of that chair and stretch her legs. Picking the ladle up with her right hand, she scooped some pink lemonade up and into her empty glass until it was a little more than half full.

"So Peyton," Millie began, "have you and Jake thought about having any more kids?"

"We've thought about it, but I think we are set with just Jenny and Ellie. Two girls is more than enough for us." Peyton answered.

"Umm...you guys."

All of the girls turned towards the kitchen at the sound of Haley's voice.

"My water just broke."

**There you go. Please let me know what you think. I know there wasn't a lot of Naley in this chapter, but that will be made up for in the next one. ;)**

**And again, I'm sorry for the late update. Life-that's all I can say. :) But if you didn't read the opening AN then I'll repeat it here. There is going to be thirty-one chapters for this story-not thirty. So there is actually two more chapters left. I have started the next chapter so I hope to have it for you guys soon.**

**Anyway, I hope everyone is having a great day/weekend! :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**Well, I'm back with another update!**

**Thanks again for all of the story alerts I'm receiving for this story. It's so wonderful knowing that people are enjoying this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. And as always a huge thanks to J. Caroline, JamesLover23, StephieBoo, Ellie, O****thfan48, paigematthewsfan21, tp404, luvnit, rosepetal16 (chapter 28-29), GottaluvNaley, and thekellay for taking the time to review. I can't express how wonderful it is to read your lovely words. You are all so kind and encouraging-thank you.**

**Again...please forgive any grammar/spelling mistakes. :)**

**So that's all I have to say. Happy reading!**

_Haley rolled over in the bed and went to wrap her arms around his torso but found nothing but the mattress. Opening her eyes, she looked around the room finding nobody there. "Nathan!" She called out._

_Just then the door to their villa opened and Nathan walked in with a bag in his hand. "Good morning." He greeted upson seeing her awake. He fought the urge of dropping everything in his hands to run over to that bed and completely devour his wife. It was extremely difficult since she was laying there with nothing but that thin sheet covering her._

_"Good morning. And where did you take off to this morning? Didn't you know that you should never leave a girl naked in bed-especially after the mind-blowing love making we endured last night?" She asked and watched as he approached the bed._

_Nathan smirked as he reached inside the brown paper bag and pulled out two clear plastic containers, "Breakfast."_

_"Oh, I love you so much right now. I'm starving."_

_"Good becaues this," He began taking a seat next to her on the bed, "is fresh fruit. I was told it's some of the best in Mexico." He informed her._

_"Yum. My mouth is watering already."_

_Over the next few minutes, the two of them ate their breakfast in a comfortable silence as Haley was saddled into his side. __"So what's on the agenda for today? More sightseeing?" Nathan asked._

_"Actually, I was thinking we can just stay here today and relax. We have that jaccuzi out back, and as you know, this is a private villa." She said kissing him sensually on his cheek. "We are all alone."_

_"I like the way you think, Mrs. Scott."_

_"I thought you might." She said using her fork to drop a strawberry in her mouth. "We should finish breakfast and then take some showers..."_

_"Together." He quickly added smirking at her._

_"Well, if you insist." She smirked back kissing him quickly on the lips. "And then we can head out to the pool-lay out a little and catch some sun which you totally need by the way." She teased._

_Nathan playfully glared at her. "Wow, my wife thinks she's funny, does she?"_

_"I am funny. You know it." She stated. "I'm only teasing. You know I love you and your pasty skin."_

_"Oh, that makes me feel better."_

_Haley chuckled and kissed him on the side of his neck. "Don't worry, babe, I'll make it up to you later." She whispered seductively in his ear._

_An electrical shock shot down his body as he felt her hot breath against his skin. He quickly felt his body reacting. He was always so turned on by her. All she had to do was smiled that sexy smile of hers, and he was gone. And she loved to tease him. He would be sitting on the bed or on the couch-anywhere, and she would purposely walk passed him wearing nothing but a skimpy set of underwear or lingerae and when she felt really daring naked knowing full-well what it did to him._

_Two hours, one phone call to Sophie, and one shower later, Nathan and Haley were laying out by the pool feeling the heat of the sun's rays. Nathan laid there on his back relaxed yet bored. He wasn't one who necessarily liked just sitting around if he wasn't sitting in front of the television watching some sports game on ESPN. He turned his head and noticed his wife laying on her back with her eyes closed. His eyes traveled across the length of her body. She had on a black bikini. The top had tiny strings tied together at the back revealing her naked skin. The bottoms were a smaller, tighter bikini style. __His eyes continued down her shapely legs. Gosh, his wife was so hot. "Hales," He began and received a mumbled 'huh' in response. "I'm bored."_

_"Okay." She replied with a voice that indicated she really didn't care._

_"Seriously? Is this really what you plan to do all day?" He asked._

_"Nope. In ten minutes I have every intention of turning over."_

_Nathan glanced over at her and shook his head. Why some people found this so fun he would never understand? He understood it to a certain extent, because it did feel nice and relaxing having the sun shining brightly down on them. But now he was bored._

_"Nathan," She called out. "If you're really bored you can rub some more lotion on my back."_

_He looked at her face. Her eyes were still closed but there was a hint of a smirk formed on her lips. He watched as she opened one of her eyes squinting up at him. He smiled at her before spotting the bottle of sunscreen lying on the cement in between them. Conceding, he picked up the sunscreen and moved to straddle her legs without actually putting any of his weight onto her. He untied the strings to her bikini and squirted a small amount of lotion into his hands before placing the bottle back down in its previous position. He rubbed his hands together and began to run his hands over her bare skin sensually._

_Haley let out a soft sigh as Nathan massaged the lotion over her skin. She loved the feel of his hands on her. They were rough yet soft at the same time. "Oh," she moaned, "that feels so good."_

_"Does it now?" He whispered in her ear and heard her breathing hitch slightly. He added a little bit more pressure with his hands producing another moan. He smirked knowing she was becoming more and more turned on. He leaned forward again till he was right outside of her ear. "You're hot, aren't you? Your whole body is on fire right now, isn't it? And it's not just from sun. I'm right, aren't I?" He asked as she nodded her head vigorously. "Well, I know how to take care of that. Is that what you want?"_

_"Yeah." She answered with a strangled tone._

_"Are you sure?" He asked as she repeated her previous answer. "Okay." He said retying her bikini strings before he pushed himself back up and scooped her up in his arms._

_"Nathan, what are you doing?" She questioned._

_"I'm just cooling you down, baby." He said running over to the pool jumping off of the edge as they both went into the water. He made it to the surface first and watched her come above next using her hands to brush the water out off of her face. Finally opening her eyes, she glared at him and all he did was smirk at her. "What? I thought that's what you wanted."_

_"You are such a jerk!" She exclaimed swimming over to him and pushing on his shoulders so he went back down under the water._

_Coming up, he immediately grabbed her by the waist standing up so she was completely out of the water._

_"No! Nathan, don't!" She protested through her laughter and then felt her body hit the water as she went underneath the surface once more._

_The two wrestled with one another in the pool for the next fifteen minutes before Nathan picked her up again and carried her over to the jaccuzi. He was sitting down on the middle step with her in his lap. Her feet were hooked behind his legs running them up and down his calves as his hands were caressing her stomach. __"This is nice." She said leaning back so her back was flush against his chest. Her head was resting against his shoulder and turned slightly into his neck. She smiled feeling his hands wrap further around her stomach holding her to him. "It's quiet and relaxing. It's perfect."_

_"It is. You're perfect." He declared._

_"Hardly." She chuckled. "I mean, I'm as close to perfect as one can be, but I still have a couple small faults."_

_Nathan laughed. "And all of those years, you called me conceited."_

_"You were conceited. Gosh, you were the most egotistical jerk I had ever met. You frustrated me to no end." She said._

_"Yeah, the feeling was mutual. I've never met someone who could make me hate and want them simultaneously."_

_"It's that sexual tension." She stated as she unhooked his hands from around her stomach and turned so she was straddling him as they sat chest to chest. "Can I be completely honest with you about something?"_

_"Of course."_

_Haley bit her bottom lip before looking into his eyes, "That night in your bedroom...you know during our senior prom," She began timidly as he nodded. "There was a brief moment when I almost didn't tell you to stop. It felt so good, and I felt like I was caught under this spell with you. And it actually scared me, because just an hour prior I had had an argument with Trevor. He wanted to go upstairs and...well, you know."_

_Nathan listened as she talked, and he couldn't help but feel a little anger towards Trevor. He wanted to hit him-for one thing, taking Haley to their prom in the first place and for another thing, trying to pressure Haley like that._

_"We were still downstairs arguing about it, and he kissed me. I immediately backed away and told him that nothing was going to happen. And I also told him that I didn't really feel anything more than friendship with him. He called me a tease and you want to know something kind of funny?" She questioned as he once again nodded. "He asked me if it had anything to do with why I was staring at you and Lana while we were all dancing."_

_Nathan's ears perked up at that. He couldn't help but smirk._

_"At the time, I laughed at that. I mean, come on...it was you and me. And of course, that wasn't why I didn't want to do anything with him or why I didn't have feelings for him, but looking at where we are now and what's between us...well, what's always been between us, maybe he had a point. I hated you back then, but I think like you, it ran much deeper. And when we were upstairs in your bedroom and you were kissing me, I felt...I don't know, a spark? It was the type of feeling that had me wondering what it would be like-not only just the sex aspect but being with you. In the end, obviously my head won out. And then when I smelled the alcohol on your breath, I knew it was the right choice."_

_"You know, I wasn't that drunk. I still remember everything that was said between us. I remember how soft and warm your neck felt against my lips." He said leaning forward and peppering light kisses which mirrored the ones from that night along her neck. "And I remember telling you how hot you looked, and you did. Gosh, you looked so beautiful that night in that black dress. Do you know how hard it was for me to watch you with him practically all night?" He asked._

_Haley's breathing hitched as his kisses became more forceful, and she moved her left hand up to his hair holding him against her._

_"And then when I walked in my bedroom and you were sitting there on my bed changed in that tiny top and those tiny shorts...I wanted you. I don't know how I was able to control myself. Do you know how badly I wanted you?"_

_"Yes." Haley moaned. And she did-that night she did. She felt it in his kisses, and she felt it in his lower region. And now she could admit to herself that she wanted him that night as well._

_"I always want you." He declared as his hands gripped her waist and pulled her roughly against him. "Can you feel how much I want you?"_

_Haley moaned again as her lower half came into contact with his immediately feeling how hard he was. And if it weren't for the thin material of her bikini bottoms covering her and the hot water surrounding them, he would feel how much she wanted him. "Nathan." She wimpered running her fingers along the hem of his black and white swim trunks and if possible, she felt him grow even harder._

_Nathan groaned at her touch. He couldn't explain this need he always had for her. It was overwhelming, and sometimes it scared him how badly he needed and wanted her. He didn't know how he survived all of those years without being with her in the way they are now-and not just the physical aspect but the emotional one as well. Running his hands around towards her back and sliding them down so he was gripping her butt in his hands, he felt her hands grab ahold of his face pulling her up to him where they met in a tantalizing kiss._

_Haley sighed contently at finally feeling his mouth on hers-her tongue colliding with his. Was it possible to feel this connected with someone? Was it possible to want someone as much as she wanted him? It was like she couldn't breathe without him, and it phyically pained her to be away from him. She felt his hands detach from her butt and inch up her stomach towards her breasts palming them in his large, rough hands eliciting another moan from her._

_Nathan smiled against her lips when he heard that sweet sound he loved so much fall from her lips. Hearing what he was doing to her and how it was making her feel caused him to feel a sense of pride. Yes, it was him and him only who was making her feel that way. She was his completely-mind, body, and spirit. He reached around and untied the strings to her bikini top once again and tore the offensive item away from her body as his eyes feasted on her breasts which he believed were absolutely perfect._

_Haley's body heat soared at the way he stared at her. It made her feel so wanted, and she loved that feeling. And even more, she loved when he used his mouth to show her how much he wanted her which was what he just bent forward to do. "Nathan!" She exclaimed feeling his mouth encase around her nipple-his teeth tugging on it before letting go and soothing it over with his tongue._

_Nathan spent a considerable amount of time on her breasts alternating between the two before he felt her tugging on his swim trunks. He lifted them both up from the seat they were sitting on so that he could slip out of the shorts and while he did that, Haley slipped her bikini bottoms off before straddling him once again. And he grew uncomfortably harder when their lower halves came into contact-flesh against flesh. Even through the hot water in the jaccuzi, he could feel her hot, wet heat. He felt her hand wrap around his member and pump it up and down a couple times. "God, Haley!" He hissed and then let out an explicit when she ran it along her center before stopping at her entrance._

_Haley paused as she stared deeply into his eyes-his eyes that showed so much want and love. The two stayed there staring at one another-not moving-for a few seconds before he finally pushed himself all the way inside of her going as deep as he possibly could as they both let out a moan of complete, insatiable pleasure at being connected in the most intimate way possible._

_After that, neither wasted any time moving their hips in a synchronized motion as their hands never left the other's bodies. Their lips meeting in breathless kisses only ending when air became too great of an issue. Thrust after thrust. Touch after touch. Kiss after kiss. The seconds grew into minutes until finally neither could tell how long it's been since they started. But what they did know was that they never wanted it to end. Even when they could feel the hint of their orgasms appearing, they held off as much as they could._

_Several more minutes later, though, they finally let themselves go at the same moment-blinding lights passed over their eyes as their muscles contracted sporadically. Their breathing had reached errotic levels and they thanked God that they were in a private villa so others couldn't hear how loud their love making had become._

_Coming down from their highs, they held onto one another. Haley rested her head in the crook of Nathan's neck placing little kisses against his skin every once in awhile as he held his eyes closed with his hands wrapping around her back holding her tightly to him-neither wanting to let go of the other. Neither wanting this moment to end. _

_And neither knowing that their encounter had, in fact, just made a baby._

Haley laid in the hospital bed closing her eyes as she felt a contraction. She breathed in deeply as she waited for it to pass. Her contractions weren't that strong yet, but they were still noticed. She was eight centimeters dialated and it's been a slow process so far. She really didn't know how much longer it would be. But she knew one thing-she wanted her husband. She heard the door open and saw Deb walking in.

"Hey, sweetie. How are you doing?" Deb asked in a motherly voice.

"I'm fine. Is Nathan here yet?"

Deb smiled at the young girl as she made her way closer until she was standing next to the bed. "He's on his way. I just talked to him a few minutes ago, and he's almost here. It shouldn't be much longer now." She tried to reassure and could tell it wasn't working so well. She reached her left hand up and ran her fingers soothingly in her daughter-in-law's hair, "He's on his way, okay. You just need to try to relax. Nathan's coming. Sophie is out there with Karen." She began and noticed the smiled that formed on Haley's face. "She's being a very good girl. When I was out there she was playing with some dolls on the floor in the corner."

"Okay." Haley said closing her eyes as she tried focussing on Sophie and felt herself calming down slightly. "Nathan's coming. Nathan's coming." She whispered to herself.

Deb pulled one of the chairs in the room over to the bed so she could sit next to her daughter-in-law. "So what are you hoping the sex is?" She asked making conversation.

"Honestly, I don't care. I know how cliche that may sound, because people always say 'as long as it's healthy the sex doesn't matter' but that's how I feel. I want both a boy and a girl so I'm really okay with either. I have Sophie who is more than I could ever hope for in a little girl so a little boy would be nice. A boy to grow up protecting his sister even though she's older than him. But then I think that having another girl would be just as nice. You know, Sophie could grow up with a sister and hopefully be as close as Brooke and I were growing up. I could dress them up in matching outfits and take some of the most adorable pictures ever. I don't know. If you told me I had to choose between a boy or a girl-I honestly can't. I am genuinely happy with either." Haley answered.

"What about Nathan? Does he have a preference?"

"I think he wants another girl." Haley said chuckling slightly. "I mean, he's like me in the sense that he doesn't really care either way, but I think he's leaning a little bit more towards a girl."

"I always wanted a little girl." Deb admitted.

"Really?"

Deb shook her head, "Yeah. I love Nathan and wouldn't trade him for anything, but I think one of my regrets is never having another baby-trying for a girl. But I guess it's just as well that Dan and I didn't. Nathan could contest to that first-hand-an emotionally abusive father and an alcoholic mother. Not a great combination."

"Well, you're making up for it now. That's all that matters." Haley tried reassuring. She has gotten really close with Deb over the past couple of years, and she cared a great deal for her. She's watched her go through some withdrawals due to her alcohol addiction, and she's watched her overcome them. She's watched Nathan's relationship with her change and grow as well. Deb was truly committing to staying sober, and Haley had gained such respect for her. And for the past month, Haley and Sophie has been staying with Deb in Tree Hill. With Nathan traveling with the team all of the time, they all agreed it would be better for Haley to be with someone as she approached her final month of pregnancy. And Haley wanted to be in Tree Hill with her family and friends. Haley living with Deb has helped the two women develop an even closer relationship and it helped Deb and Sophie create a bond as well.

She felt another contraction and closed her eyes while doing the breathing techniques she has been learning in her birthing class. The contractions were beginning to get stronger. She felt Deb's hand hold onto hers. She was really grateful to have her here. She wanted Nathan but Deb was making for an excellent subsitute right now.

As if on cue, though, the door to the room opened and she smiled brightly seeing Nathan walking in. "I didn't miss anything, did I?" He questioned immediately walking over to the bed and bending down to kiss his wife.

"No. I'm so glad you're here." Haley said.

"Well, now that you're finally here, I'm going to go out to the waiting room and give you two some alone time." Deb said standing up from the chair.

"Deb, thank you so much for being here with me." Haley said.

"You're welcome." Deb replied giving her daughter-in-law a quick hug followed by her son before leaving the room.

Nathan turned to Haley, "I'm so sorry. I tried to get here as fast as I could. We got lucky, though. I was boarding the plane when Peyton called to tell me you were in labor. Thank God I received that phone call before the plane took off."

"You're just saying that because of your fear of flying." She teased.

"Duh. What other reason would there be?" He returned as they chuckled. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. My contractions are getting stronger. I almost had a mini freakout thinking you weren't going to make it, and I can't do this without you. But your mom calmed me down. I'm getting nervous." She admitted.

Nathan took a seat on the bed next to her and kissed the side of her forehead. "There's nothing to be nervous about. I'm right here, and everything is going to be fine." He tried reassuring. He looked at his wife, though, and noticed her eyes snapped shut. He knew she was playing 'worst case senerios' in her head right now. "Hey." He said forcefully getting her to open her eyes and look at him. He smiled softly at her, "Do you remember when I told you that I wanted to wait to find out the sex of the baby?" He asked and watched as she closed her eyes and smiled while nodding her head.

_"So we have our doctor's appointment on Wednesday." Haley stated as she lounged back against the couch with her feet plopped up in Nathan's lap as he rubbed them. She watched as he nodded his head in remembrance. "And I'm approaching my twentieth week. The doctor said that if the angle is right then we should be able to find out the sex." She added in excitment._

_"Yeah."_

_Haley heard the less than enthusiastic tone to his voice, and she frowned. "What's wrong with you?"_

_"Nothing." He dismiss and turned his head to look at her. He saw the look on her face and instantly knew he wasn't going to get away with that answer and had to explain. "I just...what if we don't find the sex out?" He asked timidly._

_"Really?" She questioned quirking an eyebrow._

_"Yeah. I don't know, but lately I've had this feeling of wanting to wait and be surprised. I don't know why really, but it's there. And I don't think it's just a brief feeling either. I just thought it could be really special to wait." He explained._

_Haley couldn't help but smile at him. She observed his facial expressions and his mannerisms in general and realized he was being completely serious right now. This was something he wanted. "You are serious about this, right? You really want to wait?" She asked just to make sure._

_"Yeah, I am." He admitted. "But if you don't want to then it's..."_

_"You know what I want..." She interrupted him pushing herself up into a sitting position and palming his cheeks in her hands causing him to look at her. "I want whatever you want. If you want to wait then I'll wait. I love you, Nathan Scott." __She declared as he leaned forward and kissed her lips deeply._

_"Are you sure? I know how excited you were to find out. And since you're the one who..."_

_"If the next words out of your mouth are 'has to have the baby' then I'm going to slap you." She interrupted as he laughed which caused her to let out a little chuckle as well. "Nathan, this is your baby, too. This pregnancy is an experience for you just as much as it is for me. I'm not going to lie. I do want to find out. But that's not the most important thing to me. __Whatever it is-he, she...it doesn't matter now. They're in there growing and the gender has already been determined. So all we can do is wait. And if you want to wait a little bit longer then I'm okay with that."_

_"But how is that fair to you?" He countered._

_"Fair? Nathan, this isn't about what's fair or not. If anything, this whole pregnancy isn't fair to you since you don't get to experience the feeling of a baby growing inside of you. It's the most amazing feeling I have ever experienced." She said as tears flooded her eyes. "And knowing that it's a product of you and me and our love for each other makes it all the more special. And you don't get to feel that in terms of physical feeling. Emotional, yes but physical, no. So the way I see it, it's time to do something for you that you want. And if waiting till the baby is born to find out the sex is what you want, I am more than happy to give that to you."_

_"How did I get so lucky?" He asked kissing her chastely on the lips._

_"Well, it helps that you're hot." She said as the two laughed._

_"That's true." He said smugly. "Are you sure you can do this? You are not big on surprises, baby. I don't know if you're actually going to go all the way through with this."_

_"Hey!" She exclaimed. "I have some willpower, and I can gaurentee that I'll be able to handle this. You just wait and see, __mister."_

_Four Weeks Later_

_Haley glanced around the beige room noticing all of the posters hanging along the four walls. There were a couple different posters showing what happens inside of your body during pregnancy as well as a few posters on health and nutrition during pregnancy. And finally, there were a ton of posters featuring babies of all different types of sex, race, and size. She's seen these posters countless times due to the number of doctor's appointments she has had in the past four months but every time they still got to her. She placed both of her hands instinctively on her stomach and smiled._

_She still couldn't believe she was pregnant. She's dreamed about it and watched Brooke and Peyton experience it, but now going through it all first-hand was more than she could ever imagine. And knowing that this baby was a product of her and Nathan was amazing. It was truly special-having a baby with someone you love more than anything else in this world and getting to feel it more and more each month. She wouldn't even trade the negative aspects this pregnancy has brought with it-the nausea, fatigue, weight grain, swoolen body parts...all of it._

_"What are you thinking about?" She heard Nathan ask and looked at him as he was now standing directly in front of her with her legs in between his. She placed her hands on his waist and smiled up at him. "Our baby and how lucky we are." __She answered simply._

_Nathan smiled placing his left hand on her slightly protruded stomach. He still hadn't felt the baby kick or move or anything, but just knowing he or she was in there was enough. He looked at his wife in admiration. There was no greater feeling then knowing that you created this life with the love of your life and it's growing inside of her. He had to admit to himself that pregnancy always kind of creeped him out before. But now it was one of the most amazing things he has ever experienced. And his wife looked sexy as hell right now._

_Haley blushed at the look he was currently giving her. She knew that look of his all too well. It sparked something inside of her-it always did, but with her hormones right now, the spark only seemed heightened. Gosh, did she want him. "Can you please quit looking at me like that?" She pleaded remembering where they were._

_"Like what?"_

_Haley sent him an incredulous look. "You know like what."_

_"Sorry, but I can't help it that my wife is sexy as hell." He defended as he stepped as close to her as he could placing his hands on her waist._

_"Yeah, okay." She said sarcastically._

_"You are." He said pulling her closer to the edge of the table smirking as she let out a little yelp. He leaned forward and placed a series of hot, wet kisses along her neck. "So sexy."_

_She couldn't help the low, breathy moan that escaped from her lips while snapping her eyes shut. "Nathan." A couple seconds passed and he was still kissing along her neck and jaw-line. She placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled him slowly up to her so she could finally kiss him like she wanted to. Their kisses were soft but passionate._

_The door to the room opened as Dr. Phillips stepped inside, "Hey now." She began startling them as they broke apart both appropriately embarrassed. "That's the reason why you're here to see me in the first place." She teased._

_"Sorry." Haley mumbled. She silently reprimended herself-nothing like getting caught going at it in your OBGYN's office._

_"Don't worry about it. It happens all of the time." Dr. Phillips brushed it off._

_Haley somehow doubted that, but she didn't say anything further. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about this anymore. She smiled shyly at her doctor tucking some hair behind her left ear._

_"So Haley, how have you been feeling since our last appointment?"_

_"Good. My body has felt really sore but other than my mood swings, I feel good." Haley answered as she shared a look with Nathan as Dr. Phillips only chuckled in response. "Dr. Phillips, I do have a question, though. I'm approaching my twenty-fourth week, and I still haven't felt the baby moving or kicking. Is that normal or could there be something wrong?" __Haley asked nervously as she bit down on her lower lip._

_"That's perfectly normal. All of the books stated that you should be able to feel your baby move between sixteen and twenty-five weeks. Every women is different and every baby is different so don't be alarmed. And for first time pregnancies, it's more normal to feel that first movement closer to the twenty-fifth week so there's no cause for concern right now. How about we get started with the exam and go from there? Okay."_

_Haley nodded feeling slightly better with her doctor's answer._

_Over the next few minutes, Dr. Phillips did the standard procedure for pregnancies around the twenty-fourth week-checked the blood pressure, recorded the weight gain, measured the inches around the stomach, took a urine sample, and listened to the baby's heart beat. The heart beat was strong and sounded healthy which helped reassure Haley's previous fears._

_"Now I just want to make sure...do you still want to wait to know the sex of your baby?"_

_Nathan immediately said 'yes' while Haley only nodded her head._

_"Okay."_

_"But you have it right there in that file. It says what it is." Haley said pointing to the file in Dr. Phillip's hands._

_"Yes. Everything regarding your pregnancy is in this file. Do the two of you have any other questions or concerns?"_

_"No. I think we're good." Nathan answered and turned to Haley when she didn't say anything. "Hales, are you okay?"_

_"What?" Haley said distracted before snapping out of it. "Yeah, sorry. I spaced out there for a moment. Yeah, no, I'm good."_

_"Okay. Well, everything looks good right now. And we are all finished. Go ahead and get dressed and make your next appointment at the front desk before you leave. I'll see you guys later." Dr. Phillips said smiling at them before heading out of the room._

_Haley noticed the file her doctor had left behind on the desk._

_"Hales, I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick." Nathan said gesturing to the bathroom connected to the room and watched as she nodded before walking away into the bathroom._

_Haley continued to stare at the file. It wouldn't be horrible to just sneak a little peak, right? It's not like she would tell Nathan and ruin the surprise for him so does it really make a difference if she knew or not? Before she could think about it anymore, she jumped off of the exam table and walked over to the desk. Just as her hand touched the file she heard someone clearing their throat. Knowing she had been busted, she turned slowly and saw her husband standing in the doorway to the bathroom leaning against the frame._

_Nathan shooke his head in amusement. "Haley James Scott," he began taking steps closer to her. "I cannot believe what I just about witnessed."_

_"I'm sor..."_

_"I knew you would try something. I could see it in your eyes as you stared at that file. You know, I was really hoping you would prove me wrong, but I guess not. I'm really disappointed." He said laying it on pretty thick as he was now standing right in front of her._

_"I'm sorry. I just...it was there and...I'm so sorry." She apologized tears filling her eyes._

_Nathan saw a tear slide down her cheek and immediately wrapped his arms around her waist drawing her closer into him. __"Hey, why are you crying?" He asked softly brushing the tears away._

_"I'm just...I promised you I would wait. I know how much this means to you, and I almost took that away. I'm really sorry."_

_"Haley, it's okay. I actually found the whole thing really amusing." He admitted._

_"Yeah, right. It's okay if you're mad-yell at me or something. I deserve it."_

_Nathan chuckled, "I'm not mad. I promise. And it was pretty funny."_

_Haley looked up and into his eyes before she started laughing. "Gosh, how ridiculous am I?"_

_"Just mildly." He teased. "Haley, if you want to find out we can. I really am okay with that."_

_"No." She stated firmly shaking her head. "We agreed to wait. I know that's what you want, and I will not take that from you. I promise I can wait."_

_"Really? Because no offense, baby, but your willpower doesn't seem very high right now." He countered._

_Haley opened her mouth to protest but closed it realizing she didn't have the best argument for his statement. "I don't do anything intentionally. I really can wait, but when the file that says whether this baby is a boy or girl is sitting right in front of me, it's very difficult to just simply ignore it."_

_"Oh, you mean this file." He stated grabbing the file and holding in front of her face._

_"Nathan, stop!" She ordered as he started laughing. "You're such a jerk."_

_He placed the file back on the desk and once again wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry."_

_"It's okay. That was my payback." She said as they both laughed. "But can we please get out of here before I try to look at it again?"_

_"Yeah, but you need to change first unless you want to leave here in that hospital gown."_

_Haley glanced down at herself, "Oh yeah. I'll be right back." She announced giving him a quick kiss on his lips before rushing to where her clothes were laying._

_Later that night, Haley lounged comfortably on the couch with her feet plopped up on the cushion beside her while she rested her upper body against the arm of the couch. She flipped through the channels looking for something-anything-to watch but nothing even seemed remotely interesting. She heard the door to Sophie's bedroom closing quietly followed by a pair of feet shuffling into the living room._

_Nathan fell down to the couch resting his head on top of Haley's calves and closed his eyes. Sometimes, Sophie was way too exhausting to get to bed. She was definitely in that toddler faze where she thought almost everything was a game and she only wanted to do what she wanted to do. It was very taxing at times-great but taxing. Sophie was usually a very well behaved child probably ninety percent of the time which was more than appreciated by both Nathan and Haley, but that made the moments when she was less then well behaved all the more noticed._

_He felt Haley run her fingers through his hair soothingly creating a totally relaxing sensation. He loved when she did this. He laid there quietly in the same position for the next thirty minutes or so as she continued to run her fingers through his hair. He could feel himself falling asleep. He was literally seconds away from it when he heard his wife's voice. "Nathan!" He shot up at the tone of her voice turning to her on the couch. "What? What's wrong?" He asked frantically._

_"Nothing. It's moving. The baby's moving." She informed him still mirroring the same tone as she placed her hands on her stomach._

_"Really?" He questioned watching the emotions passing over his wife's features. "What's it feel like?"_

_"It's like this...it feels like a bunch of butterlies fluttering around in my stomach." She explained as well as she could as a couple of seconds passed. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed again as she immediately reached for his hands and placed them against her stomach with hers on top of his holding him to her. "It's kicking. Can you feel it?"_

_Nathan felt this jolt against his hand almost startling him. "Oh, wow. That's..." He cut off not knowing really how to explain it. He had never felt anything like that in his whole life._

_"That's amazing, isn't it?" She said tears filling her eyes as she stared into his._

_"Amazing." He agreed. He leaned down kissing her stomach before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling him into his laps so she was straddling him. The two met in a sweet kiss. "I love you." He mumbled against her lips._

_"I love you, too." She repeated as their kiss intensified._

Haley opened her eyes and found Nathan staring deeply into them. She felt so much more relaxed right now and leaned her forehead against his. The two stayed in that position for several seconds-not talking or anything but simply reveled in the silence and being close to one another.

The door to the room opened as Dr. Phillips walked in greeting Nathan. "How are we feeling?"

"Ready to go." Haley answered tiredly.

Dr. Phillips chuckled as she lifted up the blanket to check Haley's cervix. "Well, you're in luck. Ten centimeters. How about we get this baby delivered?"

* * *

><p>"Just a couple more pushes should do it." Dr. Phillips said.<p>

Haley held Nathan's hand tightly as she pushed as hard as she could feeling the most intense type of physical pain she had ever experienced in her life. She breathed deeply. It was difficult to explain what she was feeling. She wanted to give up. At times, she felt the pain was too unbearable. There were three things that were keeping her going right now. Nathan, Brooke, and knowing that if she just pushed through it there would be a new baby-their baby.

Finished with her push, she leaned against the back of the bed taking in another deep breath. She felt Nathan kiss her damp forehead telling her that she's doing so good. She didn't know if she was grateful for his encouraging words or if she wanted to hit him before telling him to shut up. It was probably a mixture of both.

"Okay, Haley, I need one more push from you-just one more big push, okay?" Dr. Phillips stated.

Haley took a deep breath as she leaned forward and pushed the hardest push she has done yet. She used Nathan's hand as a comfort as she held onto it tightly. She pushed, enduring the pain, before finally feeling the tight pressure concede. She let out a cry as she flew back to the bed trying to catch her breath as she closed her eyes feeling complete exhaustion hit her. The sound of a baby crying had her snapping her eyes open again.

"You did so great." Nathan praised kissing her again on her forehead. She looked at him and simply smiled.

"Are you guys ready to meet your daughter?" Dr. Phillips asked bringing the baby over to them.

"A girl." Haley said breathlessly as she took her into her arms. Tears invaded her eyes as she held her closely to her.

Nathan stared lovingly down at the baby in his wife's hands. "She's beautiful." He stated admiring her as he rubbed his fingers soothingly back and forth against her forehead. Even as a newborn, she looked just like Haley. He looked up to his wife as they caught one another's gaze. Leaning forward, they met in a sweet, chaste kiss which still managed to leave them breathless. "I love you." He declared quietly after they broke apart.

"I love you, too." She returned.

"Do you guys have a named picked out?" Dr. Phillips asked.

Nathan and Haley shared a looked as he nodded at her. She turned towards her doctor, "Brooklyn Ann Scott."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Yeah. We named her after my two best friends." Haley answered simply as Nathan smiled at her.

Over the next few minutes, Dr. Phillips and the nurses finished their final process with the delivery as well as cleaning the baby before handing her back over to Haley. "Dr. Phillips, do you think you could bring Sophie in here? We'd like to have a moment alone with her and Brooke before the rest of them decide to come barging in and overstay their welcome." She joked as the three of them laughed.

"Of course. I'll be right back." Dr. Phillips said smiling softly at them before leaving the room.

Nathan turned towards Haley, "She looks like you."

"You think so?" Haley questioned turning and looking into his eyes.

"Definitely. She has your big, beautiful brown eyes."

Haley smiled looking down at the baby. The love she felt in her heart was overwhelming. She didn't know she could ever feel this happy and feel this in love. The door to the room opened once again as Sophie came rushing in immediately upon seeing Nathan and Haley. Dr. Phillips left the room to give them a few moments of privacy.

Nathan swept Sophie up in his arms and carried her over to the bed where Haley sat. "Sophie, this is your sister, Brooke."

"Sister!" Sophie exclaimed clapping her hands wildly causing both Nathan and Haley to laugh.

Nathan sat down on the bed next to Haley placing Sophie comfortably on her lap. Sophie asked if she could hold her so he sat her down in between them as Haley placed the baby in her hands carefully.

Haley stared down at the sight of Sophie holding Brooke and tears filled her eyes-tears of joy. She couldn't lie, though, her tears of joy were mixed with a hint of sadness. She wished Brooke and Lucas could be here with them right now. She wished Brooke could meet what would have been her Goddaughter. She wished a lot of things. She felt Nathan's hand caressing her cheek and she looked up meeting his comforting gaze.

Nathan caressed his wife's cheek trying to comfort her. He knew that look of hers too well-she was thinking about Brooke and Lucas. He knew she had accepted their deaths and moved on, but he also knows how she still mourns for them. He did, too. They tried to stay as strong and positive as they could for Sophie, but sometimes at night when it was just the two of them laying in bed, they would talk, reminisce, and cry for them. It was a type of pain and mourning where you could move forward and accept it, but it still hurt like hell. That was something that would probably never go away. He remembered a night after Haley found out she was pregnant vividly. He came home and found his wife just sobbing in the shower. He stepped in-clothes and all-and simply held her as she cried.

He looked down at Sophie and Brooke and smiled. He honestly believed that if it weren't for Sophie then neither of them would have been able to move forward. Having to stay strong for her and knowing that aside from their memories, she was the one thing they had left of Lucas and Brooke was a huge part of their healing process. And knowing that Lucas and Brooke trusted them to take care of her helped as well. He also believed that if it weren't for Sophie, he and Haley would have never came together in the way they are now-they wouldn't be married or gotten pregnant...their lives would have been completely different. So he tried to focus on the positives of Sophie coming into their lives rather than the negatives, because she truly was a blessing.

He looked up and saw Haley smiling at him which instantly generated his own smile, and when she muttered those three words, his smiled widened, "I love you, too." He declared leaning forward and meeting her in a chaste kiss.

* * *

><p>Keith and Karen walked through the door followed by Deb as the three of them made their way over towards the bed where Nathan was holding Brooke in his arms. "Oh my gosh!" Deb gushed staring at the baby. "She is so beautiful."<p>

Keith and Karen were quickly at Deb's side admiring the baby as well. "She looks like you, Haley." Karen stated.

"That's what I told her." Nathan jumped in.

"Thank you." Haley said.

Nathan handed the baby over to his mother who eagerly took her. Over the next hour Keith, Karen, and Deb rotated with holding Brooke and engaging in different conversations with Nathan and Haley. Sophie was also passed along between the three of them.

"Since we are all together, Haley and I have some news to share with you guys." Nathan began.

"She's not pregnant again, is she?" Karen teased as they all laughed.

"No. No, I'm not that good." Nathan stated and laughed at the unamused look on his wife's face. "It is good news, though. News that I know you guys are going to like."

Keith, Karen, and Deb all shared a look with one another before turning back to him urging him to continue.

Nathan glanced at Haley who smiled and then turned back to the other adults. "Haley and I bought a house here in Tree Hill." He revealed.

"Are you serious?" Deb asked and could feel the excitement building up.

"This is the best news." Karen added as the two grandmothers shared a smiled.

"What about the team?" Keith asked.

"To be honest, that has yet to be decided. We're going to stay in Charlotte for the next few months until the season is over and then move here permanetly. I'm still deciding what to do about the team." Nathan answered.

"Oh my gosh, this is just..." Deb began her tone full of excitement as she immediately walked over to her son embracing him in a tight hug which he returned. "I can't wait to have you guys back here in Tree Hill closer to all of us."

"What made you decide this?" Keith asked.

"We just miss it. We miss living in Tree Hill. We miss our friends and family. We miss everything. And we really want our kids to grow up here. We loved it growing up no matter how much we protested and said we wanted to get out of here. We want Sophie to grow up in the place where her parents grew up and began their lives together. This is something we've talked a lot about since we found out I was pregnant, and we finally made a choice. The last time Nathan was here in Tree Hill we looked at houses. We found one and instantly fell in love with it. We barely even had to talk about it since we both loved pretty much everything about it. The next day we contacted a realtor and signed the papers." Haley explained.

"Well, we are more than thrilled with this news." Karen stated.

The door to the room clicked open causing everyone to turn their heads in that direction. They all went speechless when they saw Dan standing in the doorway. Once Nathan processed the fact that his father was standing there, he quickly walked over to him. "Let's go out there." He said gesturing to the hallway. Once the two of them were outside of the room Nathan turned to him, "What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping I could see my grandchild." Dan answered softly-kind of timidly.

"I don't think..."

"Nathan, please." Dan interrupted. "I know I don't deserve it, and it may be too late to apologize and maybe you just don't care...but I am sorry. I don't expect you to believe me or forgive me or even care, but I'm not here to cause trouble."

"That's a first. And sorry if I don't necessarily believe you since trouble always seems to follow everywhere you go." Nathan countered.

"Fair enough. But Nathan, come on...I haven't bothered you guys for a couple years now and have kept my distance. I haven't even tried talking to you guys. And the last time you saw me was..."

"At my wedding." Nathan finished for him and knew he had surprised his father. "Yeah, I saw you there."

"I'm surprised you didn't say anything. Hell, I'm surprised you didn't call the cops or kick me out."

"Me, too. I almost did, believe me." Nathan said.

"Why didn't you?"

Nathan shrugged, "I don't really know the answer to that question myself."

Dan nodded accepting the answer. "It's okay. I would have understood if you did. I just wanted to see my son get married. And now, I would just like to see my grandchild."

Nathan nodded apprehensively. He didn't quite know how to respond to all of this. On one hand, his father hadn't been causing any problems. Dan had been keeping his distance from them and Deb, and he didn't cause a scene at the wedding. He didn't even try to make his presence knowing. But on the other hand, all of this didn't erase the past. It didn't erase the horrible things Dan said and the way he treated Haley. Haley was his wife and the mother of his children. How was he supposed to just overlook everything?

"Please, Nathan. I heard from the nurses that it's a girl. I just want to see her. I'm not even asking to hold her." Dan pleaded.

Nathan lulled over this debate in his head. Honestly, he wasn't sure what to do. He felt so conflicted. He looked into his father's eyes and actually saw sincerity in them. He took a deep breath, "Fine. But don't make me regret this, and I won't hesitate to call security this time." He warned.

"Okay." Dan stated as he followed his son into the room.

Haley held Brooke protectively in her arms when she saw Nathan and Dan walking back into the room. She was surprised to see them both. She thought for sure Nathan was going to make him leave. She caught her husband's glance as they shared a quiet look of understanding.

"Dad, this is Brooklyn Ann Scott." Nathan introduced coming to stand next to the bed as Dan followed.

Dan smiled brightly as he looked at the baby girl laying comfortably in Haley's arms. She was sleeping before stretching her arms slightly and yawning. "She's beautiful."

"Thank you, Dan." Haley said quietly. She noticed Sophie walking over to Nathan stretching her arms up to him as he immediately picked her up giving her a quick kiss before focusing his attention back on his father.

Dan continued to admire his granddaughter for a few more minutes before deciding it might be best not to overstay his welcome. "Well, I better get going. Thank you again." He said turning and taking a couple steps towards the door.

"Dan, wait." Haley called out and he turned back around timidly. "Would you like to hold her?" She asked and could tell he was shocked by the look on his face. She looked over to Nathan who was sporting the same look of shock on his face. She didn't have to look around either to know that everyone else was also surprised at her offer.

Dan smiled boisterously at the young girl-his daughter-in law. "I would very much like to." He said inching toward her once again. He glanced over at his son who didn't say anything but just stared at him. He sent him what looked like a small nod indicating it was okay. Haley held out the baby to him, and he took her gently in his arms. He bounced her up and down slowly smiling down at her. She was so precious just sleeping peacefully in his arms.

The minutes went by and Dan finally handed Brooke back over to Haley. "Thank you." He said sincerely.

Haley stared into her father-in-law's eyes and smiled, "You're welcome, Dan."

He issued out a goodbye to everyone else and left the room. As soon as the door to the hospital room clicked shut, everyone seemed to expell the breath they were holding in. It was like they were relieved that everything had gone so well. They weren't expecting that-not when they were dealing with Dan Scott.

Keith, Karen, and Deb stayed and conversed for just a few minutes longer before kissing Nathan, Haley, and Sophie who was now sleeping on the bed next to Haley and saying their goodbyes. The nurses had come and taken Brooke to bathe and change her just ten minutes ago. Once everyone was gone, Haley turned her attention towards Nathan who was standing next to the bed. "Are you mad at me?" She questioned.

Nathan shook his head, "I'm not mad, Haley. You have such an amazingly caring heart, and that's one of the things I love about you. But I also think you're wasting it on Dan." He stated as he took a seat next to her on the other side of the bed.

"He's your dad, Nathan. I know he hasn't been a great dad, and you have lots of reasons to hate him and want to cut him out of your life. And you know that I support you with anything including that. But I also know that you love him or else this wouldn't be so hard. When my dad left, I didn't care. It barely fazed me, and that's because I really don't feel anything for my dad. I know how horrible that sounds, but he literally never was there and never showed an ounce of caring for me. But Dan...he went about things in the wrong ways-very wrong ways, but you know he cared. He loves you. I just don't want you to give up on your relationship with him completely. And I don't want you to hold onto all of that resentment you have towards him. It's not healthy, and you're better than that."

"That's what Lucas wrote to me in that letter he left. He said that I've got to let it go and grow up." He responded.

"He's right." She agreed. "Nathan, you've had some good times with your father, right?" She questioned as he nodded. "Think about that favorite memory of yours that you have with your father. Maybe you should try to remember those good moments and let go of the bad." She suggested softly and watched the many conflicting emotions pass through his face.

Nathan instantly thought about the first time he had ever went to a professional basketball game. It was in Atlanta, Georgia where the Hawks took on the Bulls. Michael Jordan has been Nathan's all-time favorite player who sported the number twenty-three for his years with the Chicago team. That's where Nathan initially found his obsession with the number which would become his "lucky" number. The seats were amazing, too. He loved everything about it-the crowd, the smell, the sound of the shoes on the court, the game itself...the whole atmosphere was perfect. And while Nathan always had a love for basketball which was primarily due to Dan's own love of the game, that Hawks versus Bulls game solidified his love of the game.

And it was a great bonding weekend for his dad and him. He didn't feel any pressure. He wasn't training or playing himself. He simply watched the game and watched his favorite player. He even got the chance to meet Michael Jordan and get his autograph on a basketball card which he still owned to this day. And back at the hotel, Dan just listened to Nathan go on and on about everything. He never turned anything into a competition, and he never made it about Nathan and his basketball abilities. They just had a normal father/son weekend.

"I think you're right." Nathan declared coming back to the present as he looked lovingly into his wife's eyes.

"I'm always right." She teased smirking as he chuckled. "I just don't like seeing you so hurt and angry over this. Your dad might not deserve a second chance, but you deserve to move forward. If we've learned anything over these past few long and tiring yet amazing years is that we can't change the past. Things happen so unexpectantly." She paused as she glanced down at Sophie who was sleeping on the bed sitting in between them. Tears flooded her eyes as she looked back up at Nathan. "I look at Sophie, and I can't help but think about Lucas and Brooke. We'll do everything we can to make sure Sophie knows all about them, but she'll never know them in the way that she should and it breaks my heart. I just don't want it to be too late for you and Dan. You never know what could happen."

Nathan smiled at her. He swore he grew more and more amazed by her every day. She just has this wholesome spirit about her. She has ever since high school. It was one of the things that terrified him about her back then but now he loved. She always tried to see the positives rather than the negatives. The love that he had for her was so intense and grew every day. "I love you so much." He declared. He felt like a broken record sometimes. He was always telling her how much he loved her, but he couldn't help it. And judging by the response he received every time from her, he didn't think she minded.

"I know you do." She replied smiling softly at him.

A quiet knock sounded at the door causing them to turn towards it where they saw one of the labor and delivery nurses, Andrea, walking in holding Brooke. "I think someone's hungry." She said as she walked closer to them handing the baby over.

Haley took Brooke in her arms and positioned her in a position that was comfortable for them both. The baby latched on beautifully without any hesitation. Haley couldn't help but stare down at her smiling boisterously. She felt so connected to the baby through breastfeeding. It truly was one of the most exhilerating feelings she had ever felt. She's watched Brooke do it and listened as she explained what it felt like, but nothing compares to experiencing it first-hand. She glanced over at Nathan who was also watching. She then glanced down to Sophie who was still sleeping peacefully in between them.

She loved her life. She missed Brooke, her mom, and Lucas-so much that it was almost unbearable some days, but she can't change what happened. She can't magically snap her fingers and poof they're alive and here again, and she can't dwelll on it. She can cry and let go sometimes, but that was all. She's learned to accept those things and move on. She chose to focus on her life now-her husband, her two daughters...everything she still had. And she truly loved her life.

**Okay, that's all. I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think. One chapter to go! The end is coming. It's hard to believe myself.**

**Now, I'm hoping to get the final chapter out to you guys soon. I am pretty busy the rest of this week so I don't know if I'll be able to get it to you too soon. And I do want to make the last chapter perfect for you guys so I'm going to spend a little more time on it. I have a timeline written for it, and now I just have to actually write it. LOL! So anyway, don't expect one too soon, but hopefully it's not too long of a wait either. I'm actually hoping for sometime next week. We shall see. And until then, I hope everyone has a wonderful week.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Well, I'm back with the final chapter. I am so so so so sorry for the delay. I really had no intention of waiting this long, and I cannot express enough apologies for this. I've been so busy planning for the baby. My family and girlfriends threw me a surprise shower, and I've been trying to get stuff ready. Needless to say, I haven't gotten very far since I've actually been working a few more shifts than normal trying to get all the hours I can in before I go on maternity leave. But I am really sorry, and I thank you for being as patient as you have been.**

**As always, thank you so much for all of the story/author alerts I have received and continue to receive for this story. It's so great knowing people are interested in it. And a huge thanks to paigematthewsfan21, kutebloo, courtneylovejason, thekellay, solo73, Othfan48, tp404, GottaluvNaley, naleylove2003, Steffsche, spnaley (chapters 1-30), saderia, J. Caroline, antsB (chapters 3, 9, 13, 15, 23, and 24) and all of the guests who didn't/couldn't log in for taking the time to review the last chapter. I continue to be blown away by your encouraging words. They truly inspire me every day, and I am so grateful for such a wonderful group of readers. So thank you again. :)**

**This story has some references from the actual show including 7x22 & 9x13 so credit for those instances belong to Mark Schwahn and the writers and others affiliated with One Tree Hill.**

**Well, enough of that. I'm sure you are all anxious to get to reading. So here is it-the final chapter. It's a really long one. ****Happy reading!**

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly down upon them as a very light wind blew creating a nice, welcoming breeze on a hot summer day. Tables covered with plastic blue table cloths were lined strategically throughout the big backyard. Silver and black confetti in graduation shapes such as caps and diplomas and more formed a vertical layer across the length of the tables. Black, blue, and silver balloons with phrases such as 'congratulations' and 'class of 2018' were placed directly in the center of each table. Various guests were sitting in groups scattered all over the backyard mingling and enjoying a plethora of different foods and beverages. The pool was filled with at least a couple dozen teenagers and kis who were currently engaging in a game of water volleyball while another dozen sat along the edges with their feet dangling in the water watching and chatting.

There were two long vertical tables located in the screened sunroom full of all sorts of foods and snacks including a dozen different desserts including a sheet cake made of vanilla mix with a buttercream icing that had a picture of Sophie as well as the words 'Congratulations Sophie Elizabeth Scott' displayed along the cake's surface. Even a chocolate fountain with chopped up fruits and pretzels and other small finger items sat on trays next to it for easier access. There were two large coolers filled with various types of beers, wine coolers, water, and pop.

The sound of heels clicked against the cemented walkway as Haley made her way through the crowd outside smiling at the various guests who greeted her along the way. She looked in the distance to a small area in the grass where Sophie stood with her group of friends. Sophie had really grown into a beautiful young woman as she stood there wearing one of Brooke's old designs which Victoria sent her from New York. Her closet was full of clothing made and designed by Clothes Over Bros that Victoria sent as presents. Even Brooke's closet was full of COB clothing which Victoria also sent along with her sister's.

Sophie's dress was a black sundress with a halter neckline that stopped right above her knees revealing her lightly tanned legs. The pattern of the dress had small white polka dots all over the material. She was wearing red heels. Red hooped earrings adorned her ears as four red and black thin bracelets adorned her left wrist. Her raven colored hair flowed down with a slight curl stopping right passed her shoulders with two chunks of hair that ran along the sides were pulled back in the center of her head connected with two bobby pins. While her makeup was natural, she had a very thin layer of black eye shadow painted on her eye lids creating a smokey look and daring red lipstick adorned her lips. Her whole look was very vintage. Haley smiled as Sophie smiled brightly at something one of her friends had said showcasing her amazing dimples which were arguably her best feature. Dimples that mirrored Brooke's perfectly. She really had grown into a beautiful young woman-just like her mother.

Allowing herself to admire her daughter for just a second longer, Haley turned her attention away from Sophie and set her sights on a table just two feet away where all of her favorite girlfriends were seated chatting away. Plopping down on the chair next to Peyton, she grabbed the fork out of her friend's hand immediately digging up some cheesy potatoes and shoving the forkful into her mouth.

"Sure. Help yourself." Peyton teased laughing.

Haley laughed swallowing the bite. "I'm sorry. I'm just so hungry."

"Uh oh. You're not pregnant, are you?" Peyton joked.

"Definitely not." Haley confirmed laughing some more. "I've been doing a lot of running around today and haven't really had the chance to sit down and actually eat anything."

"Well, I'm glad you feel the need to enjoy my food."

"I do. Thank you." Haley said smiling with her mouth full of more potatoes as Peyton laughed shaking her head. "So how is Jenny doing? It's too bad she couldn't come home." She asked as she swallowed her food.

"I know. She wanted to. She misses Sophie like crazy and really wanted to be here today, but she has a major deadline with work. She would have had to take more than a couple days off just for travel, and she couldn't do that." Peyton explained.

"I completely understand. And Sophie does, too."

"Speaking of Sophie and Jenny, Jenny wants Sophie to go visit her down in Charleston for a few days before she heads to college. Jenny wants to take her shopping." Peyton said.

"Well, I think Sophie will be more than excited to do that. Those two girls will have a lot of fun."

"While we are on the subject of 'those two girls'..." Peyton began sending a pointed look Haley's way.

Haley rolled her eyes, "Oh gosh, what did they do now?" She asked in exasperation.

Peyton let out a little chuckle, "I figured Brooke didn't tell you about their latest incident so I planned on telling you today. You know, just so I could make this day a tad more enjoyable for you." She said sending a smirk her friend's way. "So, I'm sleeping-peacefully mind you-when the phone rings. I answer and it's Jana's mom, Michelle. Yeah, she called to inform me that there was a big drag race going on in the next town over. The cops showed up but Jana, Ellie, and Brooke ran from the scene quick enough not to get caught. Jana's dad is out of town so she figured they could just go over there. Well, surprise but she had forgotten her keys to get into the house so she decided to climb through the window of her bedroom which triggered the alarm. The cops showed up and called Michelle. Michelle took them home with her and called me, and then I went and picked Ellie and Brooke up and told Brooke to stay the night with us. I told her to tell you when she went home the next morning, but I knew that probably was going to be a long shot." She explained.

"I swear, those girls are going to be the death of me." Haley sighed once Peyton had finished explaining what kind of trouble Brooke and Ellie had gotten themselves in now.

"You know what's funny, I almost felt like a hypocrite when I was yelling at Ellie." Peyton said as Haley looked at her confused. "Well, I mean, it wasn't that long ago when I was a teenager doing all kinds of stupid stuff, too. I drank at parties. I was having sex. Let's not forget the shoplifting incident with Brooke."

"Believe me, I don't forget about that seen how I was freaking arrested for wearing a tank top." Haley said incredulously as both girls laughed thinking about that memory.

"And do you remember my driving? Hello. I was a very reckless, crazy driver."

"It's funny how different things are now. It's funny how all of the stuff we did as teenagers that were hilarious and 'harmless' at the time are those same things that we are trying to prevent our own children from doing now. It might be a little hypocritical, but in a way, it's also not. We were immature back then just like our children are today. Now it's our responsibility to be the 'bad guys' in these types of situations." Haley said as Peyton nodded her head in agreement. "So where are they now? I'm assuming they're together probably causing some more trouble." Haley asked.

"Oh, they're around here somewhere. Last time I saw them was about an hour ago. They were sitting on the side of the pool eating some food. Don't ask me where they are now. Considering how much trouble those girls get into, I probably should be keeping an eye on them but I am not in the mood to deal with them today. As long as I don't have the police showing up with them in tow then I'm good for now." Peyton said causing Haley to laugh.

"Well, at least they find ways to keep life interesting."

"Yeah while at the same time driving us insane." Peyton added.

Haley laughed once more as she turned her head and surveyed all of the other guests occupying the space throughout the backyard. Keith, Karen, Dan, and Deb were the first people who caught her eye as they sat at a table conversing. She watched as Dan and Deb "flirted" innocently with one another. Over the years, Dan and Deb had mended fences and developed a friendly type of relationship. They agreed to put the past behind them and focus on the present and the future. Whatever happened between them was forgiven and forgotten, and they found themselves enjoying each others' company as friends. This past year, though, their friendship had begun to change. Nathan still refused to see it...well, more like accept it. Haley knew he was terrified of what could possibly happen if Dan and Deb pursued another romantic relationship and understandably so, but she felt like it would be different this time. They both had matured and changed over the past fourteen years. Deb has been sober ever since her stay at rehab and has been keeping herself busy helping Karen run the cafe as well as Tric, and Dan has been redeeming himself, too.

She turned her head towards the pool where she saw David and Quinn in the water off to the side where volleyball wasn't being played as they were holding their four year daughter, April, in the water with her upper body sticking out above the surface. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. David and Quinn tried for years to have a baby. It was a long, slow, painful process. Month after month, year after year they were hit with disappointing news. They spent thousands of dollars going through In Vitro with unsuccessful results each time. Once Quinn approached her thirty-fifth birthday, they decided that having a baby naturally or with help just wasn't in the cards for them so they looked into adoption. The process took two years until finally some teenage girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma, chose David and Quinn from all of her applicants. The girl, Katie Johnson, gave birth in April which is where her name came from.

In the farther distance, she saw Victoria standing and conversing with a couple of other guests. Brooke is probably laughing at her parent's situation as they are once again separated. Luckily this time they didn't have to go through a divorce since they had never remarried when they reconciled. Their relationship and split definitely involved a lot of spatting from what Haley had heard which didn't surprise her one bit considering she grew up in that house alongside her best friend. But it seemed as if now they were actually being civilized around one another. Of course it helped that they barely saw one another but still it was better than the alternative.

There were two people missing from the crowd, though. Owen and Rachel. Shortly after they got married, the two packed up their belongings and headed to New York City. Rachel found a position within a modeling agency. She was the director in charge of scouting new talent all along the East Coast. Owen continued his bartending job landing a position at one of the hottest, most talked about clubs in Manhatten. They didn't have any children and didn't plan on having any children the last time Haley had talked to Rachel which was just two days ago. Rachel did a good job with keeping in touch with everyone back here in Tree Hill as did they with her. Unfortunately due to work, Owen and Rachel were unable to fly back home to Tree Hill so they had sent their gift for Sophie ahead.

* * *

><p>Haley made her way around the side of the house in search of her husband and found him, along with a bunch of others, playing basketball in their open driveway. She hung back against the closed garage door watching them play. She smiled as she took in the sight of her husband dressed in a pair of black trouser pants and a black button-down dress shirt with white pinstripes tucked into the waistline of the pants. He clearly had discarded his tie. The first couple of buttons on his shirt were unbuttoned. She watched as he threw up a shot from a distance, and she couldn't help but smirk. He always looked damn sexy while playing basketball not to mention all dressed up. Add the two together and it was as if a sudden heat wave coursed through her body.<p>

She observed Jamie and all of the other boys playing as well. Clay and Sara's boy Logan, Mouth and Millie's three boys Mason, Dillon, and Gavin, and Skills and Bevin's boy Andre as well as Skills, Mouth, and Jake. She noticed Millie standing off to the side in the grass holding her five year old daughter, Maddie, in her arms. The two girls waved at one another before Haley focused once more onto the boys. She watched as Jamie took a shot at the drawn in free throw line and watched as it soared through the net. She smiled flashing back to twelve years ago.

_Standing unnoticed in the doorway between their bathroom and their bedroom, Haley smiled as she watched Nathan sitting on top of the bed with the comforter covering his legs. The lights in the bedroom were dimly lit as he read the book in his hands. He looked so peaceful and content...and sexy as hell sitting there in a plain light grey t-shirt and his raven colored hair. He looked so focus which only enhanced how sexy he truly was. Her lips curved into a smile. Finally pushing herself away from the doorway, she flicked the lightswitch off and walked further into the bedroom._

_Out of the corner of his eye, Nathan saw a light turned off and then heard feet shuffling quietly into the bedroom. He looked up to see his wife, wearing a conservative yet sexy black negligae with her khaki colored robe covering where it was tied together underneath her breasts which stopped at her mid-thighs, approaching the bed. He closed his book and tucked it away underneath the pillow he was laying back against as she climbed onto the bed with her legs stretched out facing him. He noticed the way her eyes glistened slightly and concern filled his body. "You okay?" He asked._

_"These aren't sad tears; they're happy tears." She reassured._

_"All right. Well, how about from now on we do smiles for happy instead?" He suggested seriously yet teasingly. He observed her as a smile broke out on her face before she very lightly bit at her bottom lip. "What is it?" He prodded knowing there was something going on in that beautiful mind of hers._

_Haley smiled real brightly showing off her teeth before closing her lips together once again as she expelled the breath she was holding in, "I'm pregnant." She revealed and watched as a small smile began to grace her husband's lips as his eyebrows arched upward. "And I think it's gonna be a boy." She added quietly._

_Taken aback for only a second, he smiled before letting out a quick laugh. He placed his right hand up against her cheek as she also laughed closing her eyes. "Oh my go..." He sort of mumbled leaning forward instantly feeling her hands cupping his cheeks as the two met in a kiss immediately falling back onto the bed. Haley let out a little squeal as he hovered above her. Breaking their kiss, they stared at one another for a couple seconds their faces displaying goofy grins. __"Nice work, daddy." Haley said. The two laughed embracing in another kiss. This one more passionate than before as they reveled in their news._

_Six months later, Haley found herself on the floor in the game room upstairs cleaning up the toys that were scattered all over the carpet. It was a difficult task as her stomach was protruding greatly. She always read books and listened to other women who said that it was common to gain more weight with each pregnancy. She gained a healthy, normal amount of weight when she was pregnant with Brooke, and she was hoping it would be the same with her second pregnancy. __Unfortunately, she wasn't as lucky with this baby. She looked and felt considerably larger this time around. No matter how many people or how many times she was told she looked beautiful, it didn't change the fact that it was more than obvious how much bigger she was. Her stomach and boobs felt as if they were twice as big as the first time. That was a tiny bit of an exaggeration, but she still felt it. And if she heard one more person say 'but you're growing a baby inside of you' then she was going to punch them. Yes, please state the obvious. And while it was a miracle and one of the most amazing things women are able to do, some days she wanted to complain. Some days she wanted to hate pregnancy and wish it was over. She didn't need people, skinny women who weren't pregnant in particular, telling her what a blessing it is and to think of the positives._

_Along with her weight gain, her emotions were stronger than her first pregnancy as well. It didn't help that she had a five year old running all around the house as well as a eighteen month old whom she had to take care of. She was exhausted, and she found herself more irritated with the smallest things. And to add to all of this, she had a husband who still had a job that took him away from them at times. It was stressful, and she snapped quite often. Luckily, she had an amazing support system here in Tree Hill. Between Keith, Karen, Deb, her friends, and even Dan, she had a lot of people she could turn to for help. And Nathan was aboslutely amazing when he was home and even when he wasn't. He always called or text her making sure she was okay. But that still didn't change her moods. She still felt the irritation and annoyance just the same._

_Exhausted, she sat back against her feet which were positioned under her and stretched feeling her back crack. Her body felt so sore with the increased weight gain and the constant running around. She took a moment catching her breath and closing her eyes as she stayed in that position for awhile longer. She opened her eyes and tried to stand up but had a lot of difficulty. She realized how truly tired she was and gently fell back down to the floor laying completely flat on her back closing her eyes once again._

_She lay there for several minutes feeling herself on the cusp on falling asleep. She was silently thanking God that Sophie was staying at Peyton's with Jenny and her friends who were having a slumber party and Brooke was staying the night with Deb. She loved those two girls to death, but she was in desperate need of a break. Laying on the carpeted floor, she felt slightly uncomfortable but knew there was no way she was going to be able to get herself up and walk into her bedroom. __She was way too exhausted for that. No, she would make the floor in the game room as comfortable as she could._

_Nathan opened the door to his house and walked through the doorway arriving in the foyer. He sighed in content as he dropped his bags on the floor by his feet. It felt so good to be home. "Haley!" He hollered walking further into the house. __"Sophie! Brooke!" Checking all of the rooms downstairs, he didn't see any of them so he began to walk up the stairs. He decided against calling out any of their names just in case any of them were sleeping. He checked the bedrooms which were empty before arriving in the game room where he found Haley laying on the floor with her eyes closed. "Hales." He whispered._

_"Go away." She ordered._

_Nathan was taken aback by his wife's tone and walked further into the room until he was standing right in front of her at her feet staring down at her sleepy figure. "Where are the girls?"_

_"Gone which is what you should be."_

_"Okay. Well, it's good to see you, too, wife who I haven't seen in a couple of days." He teased and smiled as she opened her eyes looking up at him. He laughed when she shot him a glare of unamusement. "What is up with you?"_

_"What is up..." Haley began in irritation as she used her elbows to push herself up only going a couple inches but enough to look at him. "What is up with me? I'm sorry but who's been here chasing after your daughters who are quite the handful these days? Who's the one pregnant looking like a complete cow feeling completely exhausted while experiencing many different emotions-irritation being at the top of the list? And who's the one doing it all alone while her husband is off in another city sitting around on his ass watching sweaty men run up and down a wooden platform throwing a ball into a net? Oh yeah, that would be me." She bit out as she dropped back down to the carpet._

_Nathan smiled at his wife's outburst and lowered himself to the floor laying flat on his back so he was parallel with her. __He turned so he could look at her and observed her closely. She did look exhausted, but she still looked as beautiful as she always does. He watched as she turned her head and caught his gaze._

_"I'm sorry." She apolgozied quietly._

_"It's okay. You weren't so bad."_

_Haley let out a chuckle, "Whatever. I know I was a total bitch."_

_"Yeah, you kind of were." He agreed as they laughed. "But I still love you."_

_"I love you, too." She returned. "I am glad you're home. I'm just so exhausted."_

_"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry that I'm not home all of the time to help out around the house and with Sophie and Brooke. I'm really sorry." He apologized feeling guilty._

_"It's okay. It would be easier if you were home all the time, but honestly, I would probably feel the same way. It's the greater weight gain, the soreness of my body-both of which are causing my irritation to sky rocket. And I also don't feel that well today. I feel really nauseous. It's just a culmination of everything. You know, I love being pregnant, but I am so ready for this to be over."_

_Nathan turned his body onto his side and scooted closer to her wrapping his left arm around her protruding stomach. "I would say I understand, but I don't." He began causing her to let out a little chuckle. "But I do understand in a completely contradicting way. I understand that you wouldn't be complaining if you didn't feel it. I just wish there was something I could do to make you feel better."_

_Haley closed her eyes when she felt his hand travel underneath her shirt as he lightly stroked her bare skin which felt really good at the moment. "You're doing it." She stated quietly and let out a soft moan when he kissed her forehead. "Can you just lay here with me for a little bit? I've missed you."_

_"Of course. I'll be right back, though." He said pushing himself up from the floor and leaving the room. He returned just seconds later with a couple of pillows as well as a small throw blanket from their bed. He lowered himself to the carpet once again positioning one of the pillows underneath Haley's head before draping the blanket over her body. He then positioned the second pillow next and laid down. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her gently closer to him. He smiled when he noticed she was fast asleep. He wasn't too tired himself so he simply held her in his arms as she slept. He really was glad to be home. "I've missed you, too." He said kissing her forehead one final time._

_Haley was now approaching the thirty-seventh week of her pregnancy. At her doctor's appointment the Thursday prior, her blood pressure was high resulting in her being put on a bed rest of sorts as a precautionary action. Nathan stopped all of his travel while Clay stepped in for him. Haley was so grateful for him being home more often. Obviously because she loved having him home, __but it was really nice to be able to relax and lay in bed without worrying and feeling guilty as someone helped around the house with Sophie and Brooke. She was extremely appretiative of her family and friends who were beyond amazing, __but she still felt like a burden at times._

_She lay there with her eyes closed feeling the most relaxed she's felt in awhile now. She lay on her side facing the door as her arm dangled lightly across Brooke who was sleeping in the bed with her. She could hear the faint sounds of talking mixed with laughter coming from down the hall where Nathan and Sophie were playing. She couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. She could feel herself slipping into a peaceful slumber when she felt a familiar sensation occur within her proceeded by a wet substance against her thighs. She snapped her eyes open and turned over onto her back. __"Nathan!" She hollered and turned to see Brooke squirming at the sound of her voice. She carefully pushed herself up from the bed. "Nathan!" She repeated._

_Seconds later, Nathan came rushing into the bedroom. "What's wrong?"_

_"My water broke." She informed him._

_"Oh." He stated lamely. "Okay. Okay."_

_Haley chuckled at his frazzled state as he searched his pockets for his keys before rushing all around the bedroom in search of them as well as grabbing her packed black and pink floral print Vera Bradly bag. "Nathan, it's okay. I don't even feel any contractions right now so I think we have enough time to get to the hospital without rushing."_

_"Sorry, but I've never done this before. I wasn't here the last time you went into labor." He quipped with a laugh._

_"Yes, I remember." She said. "But trust me when I say we don't have to be in a rush. If you go get Sophie ready, I'll get Brooke ready. I'll call Karen and Deb. And then we can head to the hospital. Okay?"_

_Twelve hours later, Haley breathed deeply as a strong, painful contraction ripped through her body. Her contractions were __coming a minute apart. She was ready to go-just waiting on Dr. Phillips to arrive. Nathan stood __by her side holding her hand and offering words of encouragment. As if on cue, Dr. Phillips walked through the door of the __delivery room. "Well, let's get this baby delivered."_

_Haley pushed and pushed for what felt like hours. She didn't remember it being so hard and painful with Brooke. Maybe it __was because she had successfully blocked it out of her mind. She understood why if that were the case. She wanted to block this __moment out of her mind as she pushed some more. Remembering her breathing techniques, she tried to enforce them but __it proved difficult at times. She glanced down at her hand which was tightly holding onto Nathan's. If she didn't feel such __a greater pain, she would have actually felt bad knowing how much her grip on his hand had to be hurting him. But he __said nothing about his pain and focused solely on coaching and encouraging her through this._

_"Okay, Haley, I need one more push. Okay. Just one more big push for me." Dr. Phillips instructed._

_Taking a deep breath, she pushed with all of her might and just like with Brooke, in an instant she felt the tight, painful __pressure expell out of her as she fell back against the bed._

_"You did it. You did so great." Nathan said kissing her damp forehead as she closed her eyes taking in the warmth of his __touch. They shared a loving look before turning back to Dr. Phillips who was holding the baby upright in front of them. __"And look what we have here."_

_"A boy." Nathan stated in relieved disbelief turning to look at his wife._

_"I told you it was going to be a boy." She smiled._

_"Yes, you did." He laughed leaning forward and kiss her on the lips._

_Once the baby was wrapped up in a blanket, Dr. Phillips handed him over to Haley who took him gently in her arms._

_"Welcome to the world, James Lucas Scott." She said through her tears as she played with his tiny fingers._

Haley was broken out of her reminiscing as the shrill of high pitched voices sounded in front of her. She noticed Brooke and Ellie rushing passed her. "Hey!" She exclaimed abruptly stopping the two girls.

"Hey, mom." Brooke greeted sending her mother a toothy smile.

"Hey, daughter." Haley returned smiling wickedly back at her. "Hello, Ellie." She greeted turning to look at the curly blonde to Brooke's right who was the spitting image of Peyton.

"Hey, Mrs. Scott."

"So I talked to Peyton." Haley began and watched her daughter's smiled disappear from her face. "She had some very interesting information to share with me. Wouldn't you agree?" She questioned sending a challenging look Brooke's way. Her daughter opened her mouth to say something before quickly closing it once again. Haley turned towards Ellie and sent her the same challenging look.

"Are you going to yell at me?" Ellie questioned. "Because I already got yelled at by my mom."

Haley sent her an unamused look to which the young girl quickly dashed away yelling for Brooke to come find her once she was finished receiving the third degree. Haley shook her head befor focussing her attention back to her daughter. "Well?"

"I'm sorry." Brooke said grinning sweetly-too sweetly.

"That's not going to work, missy." Haley countered. She grabbed Brooke's hand and led her into the house and into the living room so they could talk in private. "Brooke, do you realize how much trouble you could have gotten into?"

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal?" Haley bit out incredulously. "No, it is a big deal."

"Why? It's not like I was driving or racing the cars or anything like that. I was just watching. And we weren't technically breaking into someone's house. It was Jana's dad's house." Brooke argued.

"Drag racing is dangerous. Do you even know how many teenagers die or get seriously injured in those types of instances? It doesn't matter if you're the one driving or not, you shouldn't even be there. And you still could have gotten arrested for breaking and entering even though it was Jana's dad's house. You were lucky the police were so lenient and willing to call Michelle in the first place. And not to mention, you also have a curfew, missy. And that doesn't only apply when you are here. It still applies when you're spending the night with friends or whatever. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." Brooke answered. "It's not like you or dad never did anything stupid when you were younger." She mumbled under her breath.

"Excuse me?"

Brooke looked her mother in the eye, "I said it's not like you or dad never did anything stupid when you were younger. I remember a story about how dad stole a school bus in which he was driving, had a party with alcohol on the bus, and almost ran into a train."

"Yeah, you're right. Your dad and I did do some pretty stupid and reckless things when we were your age, but no matter how much fun we may have thought it was when we were younger, it was wrong. It was immature and irresponsible. And since we've been through that stuff, we have the first hand knowledge of the repercusions, and as your parents it's our job to make sure you don't do the same stupid things we may or may not have done when we were your age. Is that clear?" Haley asked sternly.

"Yes."

"Beginning Monday morning, you're grounded for two weeks-no cell phone, no computer, no television..." Haley began as Brooke immediately started to protested. "I will make it one month." She said effectively shutting her daughter up. "And grounded means no going to friends' houses or friends coming over here. Understand?"

"Yes, I understand." Brooke replied softly.

"Brooke, I'm not doing this out of enjoyment despite what you may think, but I am the parent here. It's my responsibility to make sure you aren't doing anything reckless which could have some very negative consequences. And believe me, you'd rather deal with me than the cops. What you did was stupid and immature, and I want you to promise me that you won't get caught up in anything like that again."

"I promise, mom."

Haley shared a look with Brooke, "Come here." She ordered wrapping her arms around her. "I love you. No matter how much trouble you cause and how much you drive me insane, I love you."

"I love you, too, mom. And I am sorry." Brooke replied.

"I know you are." Haley said breaking leaning out of their embrace and caressing her daughter's cheek. "Are you going to play water volleyball?" She asked taking in Brooke's appearance as she stood before her in a white with black polka dots bikini.

"Yup. And I'm going to crush them all."

Haley chuckled at her response, "Well, you have fun. Go make your dad proud."

"Thanks, mom." Brooke said leaning forward and kissing her mother on the cheek before turning and rushing away yelling "Love you!" along the way.

* * *

><p>Haley walked up to Sophie and gently touched her arm causing her to turn around. "Hey, mom."<p>

"Hey, sweetie. Is it okay if I steal you away for a couple minutes?" Haley asked.

"Of course." Sophie responded telling her friends she would be right back and followed her mother into the house instantly feeling the cool air from the air conditioner hitting her body and into the living room where it was just the two of them. Once they were sitting comfortably on the couch, the two girls turned to one another. "So what's up?" Sophie asked.

"I just have a present that I wanted to give you." Haley answered as she handed her daughter a small package wrapped in black wrapping paper with a blue decorative ribbon tied together around it.

Sophie smiled taking the present into her hands as she tore at the wrapping until a small black velvet jewelry case was revealed completely. Taking a breath, she opened it where a ring with black diamonds lay in the opening slit of the satin fabric. "Mom," She said breathlessly. "This is yours." She stated immediately recognizing the ring looking up at her mother confused.

"It was. And now it's yours." Haley said and smiled at the small tears forming in her daughter's eyes. "I don't think I've ever told you the story behind this ring. Have I?" She asked as Sophie shook her head. "This ring was my mother's. Her parents gave it to her on the day she graduated from high school. As you do know, Grandma Lydia died from cancer. She gave this to me right before she died, and I have been wearing it ever since. And now, I want to give it to you on the day that you graduated from high school."

"What about Brooke?" Sophie couldn't help but question.

Haley smiled at her daughter's question, "I have already ordered the same ring for Brooke when she graduates. And then the two of you will have the same one." She answered watching the smile grow on Sophie's face. "Now I don't think Jamie will appreciate this for his own graduation so we'll let Dad handle his present, okay?"

Sophie laughed at her mother's statement while nodding her head in agreement. "Thank you, Mom." She said as the two embraced in a tight hug.

"You know, your mom wore this on the day she got married to your dad." Haley revealed backing out of the embrace.

"Really?"

Haley nodded, "Yup. It was her something borrowed from me."

Tears filled Sophie's eyes as she listened to Haley who was currently talking about her parent's wedding day and how beautiful Brooke looked. She loved talking to her about her real parents. They had nights when they would lay in bed together with a carton of ice cream and two spoons as they talked all about Brooke and Lucas. Sometimes her baby sister, Brooke, would join them. The stories her mother told had them laughing and crying. And even though she doesn't remember her parents since she was so young when they died, she felt like she knew everything about them. Nathan and Haley always were very open and willing to talk to her about them. She was grateful for that-for being able to know her parents so well. "Well, I can't wait for the day I get to wear this on my wedding day just like my two moms." Sophie said once Haley was finished.

Haley smiled at her daughter's words and couldn't help the tears forming in her own eyes. Wiping away a fallen tear, she reached behind her and grabbed onto the paper sitting on the couch bringing her hands back in front of her.

"What's that?" Sophie asked looking at her mother's stretched out arms.

"This is a letter written from Lucas and Brooke. They wanted us to give it to you on the day you graduated from high school." Haley revealed.

Sophie opened her mouth in shock feeling her heart rate increase. With shaky hands, she reached out and took ahold of the folded up letter. She stared at it as tears filled her eyes. She felt her mother kiss her gently on the cheek causing her to close her eyes for a brief moment before opening them noticing Haley walking out of the living room from the corner of her eye leaving her all alone. She continued to stare at the letter debating if she was ready to read it now or wait until later.

Meanwhile, Nathan passed the ball to Jamie who was positioned a few feet away from the basket. The rest of the boys had went around to the back of the house again to grab some more food or something to drink leaving just the two of them in the driveway playing a game of HORSE. Jamie was currently 'beating' his dad as he put up another shot, and they both watched as it soared through the net. "Gosh, either you're getting better or I'm getting worse."

"I'm going to go with you're getting worse." Jamie joked as the two boys laughed.

Nathan retrieved the ball and went to stand in his son's previous position putting up the shot and missing. "I think you may have a point." He chuckled. He looked at his son and noticed the look on his face which clearly indicated he had something on his mind. "What's going on, weird son of mine?"

"Just thinking." Jamie answered vaguely.

"About?" Nathan prodded.

"Do you think I could ever be as good at basketball as you are?" Jamie asked.

Nathan was surprised by his son's question catching him a little off guard. "What brought that question on?"

"I've just been thinking. I start high school next year, and I was going to try out for the Ravens. I don't know if I'll ever be as good as you and Grandpa Dan were. I saw your jerseys hanging on the wall of the school. People expect me to be good."

Nathan nodded his head understanding what his son was getting at. "When you were younger, it was easy for me to tell you you can be whatever you want to be. And of course that's still true, but I think you're old enough to know that people are going to expect you to be really great at sports. Now the important thing to remember is that you don't have any responsibility to any of those people. Not to them. Not to me. You have to find what makes you happy. You have to be a good man while you chase whatever that is, but whatever it is is up to you."

"I like playing sports." Jamie declared.

"Thank God." Nathan said expelling a breath. "That's my boy." He added as the two slapped their hands together in a manly kind of handshake. "But seriously, play sports for you. Not for anyone else. Okay?"

"All right." Jamie agreed.

"And to answer your question from earlier. Yes, I do think you could be as good as me at basketball. I have no doubt in my mind. You just need to decide for yourself if playing basketball is something you want to do for you. You get to determine how far you want to pursue it. It's okay if you don't want to play in the NBA or even in college. Just because I did doesn't mean it's something you should do. Your Uncle Lucas didn't play passed high school, and he loved the game just as much as I did." Nathan said.

"I wish I could have met Uncle Lucas." Jamie stated.

Nathan smiled softly as he swallowed back the lump forming in his throat. "I do, too, buddy."

"I bet you guys had some great times on this court."

"Yeah." Nathan answered quietly. "And some not so great ones."

_Nathan threw the ball up as it went flying towards the net. Swoosh. He thrust his fist slightly in the air when he heard that __sweet sound. Running to retrieve the ball, he jogged to a spot further away from the basket. There was a slight chill in the __air but luckily he was sporting his red sweatshirt with the Nike logo across the front. Before taking a shot, he looked __around him. He loved The Rivercourt. It felt like an escape from reality, and sometimes he really needed that. Usually he __came out here with Lucas and the rest of the guys, but on some nights-nights like tonight-he just needed to feel the calm, __serentity of the peaceful night._

_It was a few months into his senior year. Basketball practices have begun, but their first game was the next week. He was __pumped for the new season. This was his year. This was the year that they were finally going to win state for the first time __in eighteen years. He was going to make sure of it. With him, Lucas, Jake, and Skills acting as a defensive unit not to __mention their mad offensive skills, all of the odds were in The Raven's favor this year. And they weren't ending their senior __year without that state championship trophy._

_Dribbling the ball, he heard the sound of the leather smacking against the pavement. He loved __that sound. Even better was the sound of the leather smacking against the wood flooring of an actual basketball court. __There was no better sound in the world. This was his life. Basketball was what he lived for. This was going to be his __breakout season not giving the Duke scouts any reason to overlook him._

_Nathan broke out of his thoughts when he heard another pair of tennis shoes shuffling along the cemented pavement. He __didn't have to turn around to know it was his brother but he did anyway. "Hey, Luke."_

_"Hey, Nate. Dan told me I would find you out here."_

_"Did you come for a little one-on-one, because I'm about to school your ass in some b-ball." Nathan josted good-naturedly._

_"Actually, I came out here to talk to you." Lucas corrected._

_Nathan observed his brother. His voice was quiet and his whole stance was soft, timid-like. "What's going on?" He asked __confused by Lucas' behavior._

_Lucas took a deep breath knowing he had to say what he needed to say. "I have HCM, Nate." He revealed and watched the __look of surprise and disbelief pass through his brother's features. "I got the test results back last week."_

_"Come on, man. That can't be right."_

_"Well, do you have HCM?" Lucas asked as Nathan shook his head. "It's a fifty/fifty chance, Nate. You don't have it; I do."_

_"So what's this mean?" Nathan questioned still processing the information his brother just revealed to him. His brother __had a heart defect. It was tough to believe-tough to accept._

_"A lot of things. Mainly, it means that I won't be playing a lot of basketball this season."_

_"There's got to be a way around that. I mean, aren't there medications you can take to help with this?" Nathan asked._

_"Yeah, and I'm on them. But the medication is used to slow down my heart rate so I can't go full speed so I wouldn't be a __great use out there anyway. But I've talked to Whitey and my mom about this, and I can play fifteen minutes a game-same __speed as usual as long as I stick with the medication. So I don't have to give up basketball completely." Lucas explained._

_"Luke," Nathan began shaking his head not really knowing what to say. "Man, I'm sorry."_

_"It's okay. I've come to terms with it. It's a good thing I wasn't planning on playing ball in college, right?" Lucas replied as __they both let out some strangled laughs. He looked at his brother who's expression was full of pity and apologies. "Nate, __it's okay. I'm fine with this. I just hate that I'm not going to be able to help you guys as much as I could have this season."_

_"Doesn't matter. Everyone knows that I'm the real talent on the team." Nathan joked smugly._

_Lucas laughed relieved to hear his brother's normal behavior and cockiness back into play._

_"So fifteen minutes a game?" Nathan questioned as Lucas nodded. "Well, we'll just have to make those fifteen minutes __count, won't we?" He said embracing him in a manly hug._

_"Yes, we will." Lucas agreed. "Little brother." He added as they both laughed._

_Once they broke apart, Nathan dribbled the ball a couple times. "So will one game here on The Rivercourt kill you, because __I am about to show you how it's really done?" He smirked._

_"Bring it on." Lucas challenged as the two began a little game of one-on-one with each other knowing that the two of them would always have one anothers' backs in the game of basketball as well as in the game of life._

* * *

><p>Brooke walked up the stairs and through the hallway before arriving at her destination. She noticed her sister sitting on the floor facing away from her. She stood in the doorway to her sister's bedroom as a wave of nerves passed through her body, and she hesitated in actually taking a step. She took a deep breath and brought her hand up as her knuckles tapped lightly on the door.<p>

Slightly started by the unexpected knock, Sophie turned and saw her sister standing in her doorway. "Hey, Brooke." She greeted. She watched as Brooke greeted her with a nod almost timidly. "Do you want to come in?" She asked with a little laugh.

Brooke smiled tucking a strand of hair behind her ears as she took a couple steps further into the bedroom. She sat on the bed quietly as she watched her sister sort through some of her clothes-alternating between hanging some and folding some.

Sophie felt her sister's eyes boring into her so she turned. "Was there something you wanted?" She asked confused by her Brooke's subdued behavior.

"I just..." Brooke began pausing abruptly turning her head down to the comforter picking at the material.

Sophie narrowed her eyes before pushing herself up from the floor and heading towards her bed where she took a seat next to her sister. "What's going on, Brooke?" She prodded quietly.

"Can I ask you something personal?" Brooke asked as Sophie nodded. "But you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone-not your friends or Jamie or our parents...especially not dad and mom." She quickly added.

"Okay. I promise."

Haley walked through the hallway with a couple unwrapped presents in her hand leftover from the party earlier heading towards Sophie's bedroom. She heard the distinct voices of Sophie and Brooke as she peaked her head into the room where she saw her two daughters sitting on the bed. Hanging back deciding against making her presense known, she listened to their conversation.

"You have a boyfriend." Brooke said stating the obvious to her sister. "What I mean is that you have been going out with Brandon for a couple years now. And you're older-more experienced." She began as Sophie nodded her head still confused by this conversation. "Well, you know how I'm kind of with Mark."

"Oh, so are you actually putting a label on it now? Are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend?" Sophie asked with a smirk.

"Ye...no...I don't know." Brooke stammered uncomfortably.

"What do you want to ask me, sis?" Sophie asked sparing her sister any further teasing.

"I was just...I was wondering when you decided to, umm...to have sex."

Haley sucked in a deep breath at her daughter's question. Emotions hit her full force as she contemplated what she should do. A part of her wanted to run straight into that bedroom and tell Brooke that she is not allowed to even be thinking about having sex while the other part of her wanted to let it go knowing she couldn't control her daughter. She was that age once. Not that she ever did anything, but if she had wanted to then she would have found a way to do so with or without her mother's permission and/or knowledge.

Sophie dropped open her mouth slightly in shock at her sister's question. This was her sister-her fourteen year old baby sister. She was just a sweet and innocent girl asking about sex. After collecting herself, she turned to her. "Brooke, why are you asking me this?" She asked and waited for Brooke's response which never came. "You're not thinking about having sex with Mark, are you?"

"Sometimes." Brooke admitted.

"And this is something you want?" Sophie asked and all Brooke did was shrug her shoulders. "If you're not sure then why are you thinking about it?"

"Mark, he..."

Sophie nodded her head in understanding as her sister's words trailed off. "Do you want my honest opinion?" She questioned as Brooke nodded. "Okay." She began taking a deep breath. "I think you should stop thinking about it. And I think you should dump that jackass you call a 'boyfriend'."

Haley had to stiffle back a laugh that was threatening to escape from her lips at her daughter's brazen answer.

"But he's the first guy who has ever liked me. What if he's the only one who will ever like me?"

"First off, that is so not going to be the case. You are beautiful, Brooke. And you're so young. Believe me, there will be more guys who come around. And let me tell you, if this guy really liked you then he wouldn't pressure you into having sex. He wouldn't pressure you into doing something you're clearly not ready to do. There isn't a guy out there who's worth that." Sophie said softly.

"How do you know, though? How do you know when you're ready?"

Sophie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. There's just this feeling I suppose."

"And how did you know? Was there just a feeling?" Brooke asked.

Sophie stared at her sister for a couple seconds and inhaled and exhaled a breath. "I'm still waiting for that feeling." She stated as Brooke looked at her confused. "Brandon and I haven't...I'm still a virgin."

"Why?"

"I'm not ready. Maybe one day I will be. I don't know when-could be tomorrow or it could be a year from now. I don't know, but I do know that I'm not ready now." Sophie answered.

"And Brandon's okay with that?"

"Yeah." Sophie smiled. "And if he wasn't then I wouldn't stay with him."

"I didn't know...I thought for sure you and Brandon were having sex."

"I'm full of surprises, Brooklyn Ann." Sophie said as they both let out a chuckle.

"So what you're saying is that you think I should wait until after I get married and stuff." Brooke said once their laughter died down and the seriousness came back into play.

"No, I would not say that. I think that is something mom and dad would say. But me...I say that I think you should wait until you're ready and until you find the right guy. And only you will be able to know when you're ready, and I think it's something you'll just instinctively feel. But Brooke, please just promise me that you'll wait until you are ready. And please promise me that you won't jump into something or change who you are for some guy. Trust me-no guy is worth that."

"I promise. Thank you, Sophie." Brooke said in appreciation as the two sisters met in a hug.

Haley smiled before retracing her steps and heading down the stairs. She walked into the living room where she found her husband relaxing in the dark brown recliner with his feet plopped out and holding a beer in his right hand occasionally bringing it to his mouth to take a drink. He, of course, was watching some sort of sports game being played out on the television. She smiled at the look of complete contentment on his face. Even all of these years later, he still took her breath away. His face had matured which only increased his handsome looks. His body was just as amazing as it always was, too. Honestly, if anything he only grew sexier with age.

Nathan looked up and caught her eye smiling softly at her as she walked closer to him before falling down onto his lap as he placed his left hand on her bare thigh where her dress had ridden up. He heard her shoes slip off of her feet and onto the hard wood floor underneath them. "Hey, baby." He greeted as they met in a chaste kiss. "What's got you all happy?" He asked tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears as he noticed the boisterous smile on her face.

Haley's smile widened at his question as she thought back to the minutes prior. She shook her head and looked into her husband's eyes, "Everything. I love our family." She declared as tears filled her eyes.

Nathan chuckled at her. "You're kind of emotional today. Are you pregnant?" He teased.

"What is up with everyone asking me if I'm pregnant? Gosh, did I gain weight? Do I look fat or something?" She rambled in an exclaimed tone.

"Whoa, calm down, drama queen." He laughed stopping his wife's ramblings from proceeding any further. "You didn't gain any weight. And you most certainly don't look fat. You're just as perfect as you always have been." He said smirking as she rolled her eyes. "It was just a joke."

"Well, I'm allowed to be emotional today. My daughter graduated from high school and very soon she's going to be leaving us to go to college all the way in Rhode Island so yeah, I'm allowed to be emotional. Okay?" She countered.

"Okay. You are allowed to be emotional today." He placated to which she deeply appreciated. "And I love our family, too, by the way." He added placing his beer on the end table to his right.

"You better." She muttered leaning forward and kissing him again. After they broke apart, she rested the side of her face against his chest. "Today was a good day."

"It was." He agreed kissing the top of her head.

"I can't believe Sophie is leaving us in less than three months. I keep fighting this urge I have to tell her she can't go out of state to another school, and she has to stay here with us forever." She began as they both let out a chuckle. "But I know I have to let her go. I'm so proud of her, though. She's going to Brown University. That's amazing, and this is such a great opportunity for her."

"Well, she's one amazing girl."

Haley smiled thinking about her. "Have you ever realized that she has qualities that match all four of us-you, me, Brooke, and Lucas?" She asked and could feel him nodding his head in response. "I like that. I like that she resembles something in all of us."

"Thank goodness, though, that she resembles more of you and Lucas." He couldn't help but state as they both laughed. "Now Brooke...she is just such a little trouble maker. I think her name is very fitting." He added listening to his wife's laugh.

"True. But don't forget about you, too, honey. Brooke takes after her daddy as well." She stated as he conceded and agreed with her. "Gosh, I remember all of the times Brooke got us in trouble while we were growing up. I'm surprised our moms didn't kill us. We probably drove them up the walls. Brooke would get this random idea and think it was the best idea in the world while I tried to knock some sense into her like the good little girl I was. But it never worked and for some strange reason, I always went along with it anyway. I see that same spirit within Brooke and Ellie." She explained.

"I have a feeling Brooke is going to be a handful as we venture further into her teenage years. And just think, next year she starts driving. Now that's a scary thought." He said as they both cringed and laughed at that thought. "Well, at least the girl plays one mean game of volleyball. She may be our wild child, but at least she's in a sport."

"Oh yes, thank God for that." She stated sarcastically. She sent a pointed look her husband's way as he began tickling her while telling her he didn't appreciate her sarcasm while ordering her to take it back. "Stop! Fine. I take it back!" She hollered through her laughter to which he finally complied and backed off as she snuggled back into his chest. "We always have Jamie, too, and Jamie's also a mixture of the both of us. He's into sports like you yet into school like me."

"Yeah, but he's also a total momma's boy." He said as his wife let out a scoff. "What? You know it's true. But at least he's not a pansy about it."

"You're terrible. You know that?" She laughed.

"I do." He stated casually with a shrug of his shoulders.

"So," Haley began apprehensively. She wasn't sure if she should tell her husband about the latest Sophie and Brooke conversation. "Brooke was asking Sophie about sex today." She slipped out as casually as she could.

"What?" Nathan exclaimed.

"Just before I came in here." She added and noticed the look on his face-a look of surprise mixed with a plethora of other emotions. "Yeah, I pretty much felt the same way you do right now. I was standing in the hallway listening in on their conversation. And just for the record, I wasn't technically spying on them. I just happened to be walking up there when I heard them...and then decided to spy." She said as they both let out a little chuckle.

"What was she asking?"

"She wanted to know when the right time to have sex was." She said cautiously.

"Did you storm in there and tell her never?"

Haley couldn't help but smile at that, "No, I didn't. I decided to hang back and see how Sophie handled it."

"And what did Sophie say?"

"She handled it beautifully if you ask me." She answered trying to skip the details.

"So why was Brooke asking about sex in the first place? Why was she asking when the right time is?" He asked.

Haley mentally cursed in her head. She should have just kept it to herself, but she wanted to share what happened with him. She was really proud of both of her girls. Sophie more or less said all of the right words, and Brooke went to her big sister for advice first before jumping right in. That was encouraging for Haley, and she wanted to share it with her husband-their father. "Well, she...umm...she's kind of been feeling pressured."

"What?" He exclaimed once again. "By who? Who is this kid, because I will kill him if he ever lays a hand on my daughter?"

"Okay, calm down, killer." She laughed. "I didn't tell you this so you could go out and threaten any boy who decides to date our daughter. I told you because I was really proud of them. And if you would have heard their conversation then I think you would have been, too. And we do have to deal with our daughter thinking and talking about sex. They are teenagers. Sophie's leaving for college soon, and Brooke is going to be driving soon. They're at that age. You remember that age."

"Yeah, I do. And I was that type of guy." He reminded her.

"But we can't control them. We could threaten them all we wanted, but if they really wanted to do something, they'll probably find a way."

"Are you trying to make me feel better about my daughter asking about sex, because if you are, you're doing a very sucky job." He asked.

"I'm sorry." Haley laughed. "I'm not trying to make you worry or anything. It's just...well, we were teenagers. We defied our parents all of the time. It's going to happen. And I'm just saying that I'm glad Brooke went to Sophie first. And I don't think we have too much to worry about right now concerning sex and Brooke. We just have to worry about cops showing up at our door with her in tow." She said as they were both laughing now.

"That's true. I know I can't control them or keep a watchful eye on them at all times, but they're my daughters. And I'll tell you one thing, if I ever find out that a guy is pressuring either one of my girls then they better run. And they better pray they get away before I catch them." He said.

"Gosh, you're so sexy when you talk like that. I love your overprotectiveness. It's so sexy." She said seductively.

The two of them stared at one another as the heat in their bodies increased. Sharing a smirk, they met in a sizzling kiss. Nathan gripped her waist as she cupped his face in her hands. Slanting their heads to their sides so they could be granted better access to one another, their tongues met. Small moans escaped from their lips as they continued to devour each other. While her hands remained on his cheeks, his right hand was wrapped firmly around her waist as his left hand began inching its way up her leg until it was resting high on her bare thigh. They were completely wrapped up in one another until two distinct voices rang in their ears.

"Eww!"

"Seriously!"

Nathan and Haley broke apart and saw Sophie and Brooke standing at the foot of the stairs looking into the living room staring at them in total disgust.

"You guys do realize you have a bedroom, right?" Sophie questioned rhetorically. "Do you know how gross it is to walk in on your parents going at it? The least you could do is not do it in our living room while we're in the same house. I mean, seriously. We're going to start charging money every time we walk in on you two."

"Yeah, because that's really going to happen." Haley said.

"It would certainly be fair. Heck, I'd be a rich girl by now if that were the case considering this isn't exactly the first time you know." Sophie stated sending them a pointed glare as her parents looked at them innocently. She cringed one more time before looping her left arm through Brooke's right arm. "We're going to the mall. Hopefully, I can still see well enough to drive since I think I'm officially blind by now. Let's go, Brooke." She said as the two girls turned and headed out of the room.

"We love you guys." Nathan and Haley hollered simultaneous and laughed at their retreating forms until they were out of their line of sight and heard the front door slam shut.

"We probably scarred them for life." Haley said as she turned back to her husband.

"Oh well. They never stood a chance anyway." He countered teasingly kissing his wife again. "You know. I think our daughter does have a point, though." He mumbled against her lips.

"What's that?" She questioned.

"That we should take this to the bedroom." He answered grinning mischievously at her and watched as she quickly scrambled off of his lap. He was quick to follow as they rushed through the living room and up the stairs into their bedroom.

* * *

><p>Sophie tugged her jacket closer to her body feeling the brisk chill of the night air as she walked on top of the freshly cut green grass and through the hundreds of headstones dodging a couple newly buried areas until she had finally reached her destination. Spreading out the small blanket she brought with her, she slipped her shoes off and took a seat in front of the two headstones which were side by side. "Hi, mom. Hi, dad." She greeted as her eyes glossed over the engraved writing in the granite only reading the names.<p>

_Lucas Eugene Scott and Brooklyn Penelope Scott_

"I know it's been a few weeks since I've come out here to visit. I'm sorry for that, but things have been so crazy and hectic over the past month. I graduated from high school today. I was even in the top half of my class-not valedictorian or salutitorian, but I was tenth. I don't think that's too bad." She began letting out a little laugh. "I leave for Brown University in less than three months. It's so surreal, and I don't think it has quite hit me yet. I'm sure it will when I'm saying goodbye to everyone. Mom, dad, Brooke, and Jamie in particular. Mom's already a mess. She's excited but very emotional. She'll just start crying randomly and pull me into a suffocating hug." Sophie took a moment to take a deep breath before speaking again. "To be completely honest, I'm kind of scared. In a good and exhilerating way but still scared. Maybe it's more nervous rather than scared. I can't really tell right now. But I am so excited.

I wish you guys could be here to celebrate this with me. I know you're looking down on me right now and in a way are celebrating with me, but it's not the same. I just wish you could actually be here with me-tangibly. But I suppose that's just a wishful notion. I'm a dreamer. What can I say?

I'm really grateful for Nathan and Haley-mom and dad. I hate to admit this, but I don't remember much of anything about you guys. I was so young when you died that I don't have those memories personally. But I feel like I know everything about you at the same time. That might sound weird. But mom and dad have shared everything with me. They have been completely open. Anytime I had a question, they readily answered. I am so thankful for that." She said as she dug out the folded up letter she placed in the pocket of her jacket right before she left. "Mom gave this to me today. She said you guys had written me a letter before you died."

Sophie took a couple deep breaths before unfolding the letter where a words flowed across the paper with an elogant penmanship. It was very obvious that it was Brooke's handwritting.

_Dear Sophie Elizabeth Scott,_

_We really hope you aren't reading this letter right now, but just in case we wanted to say all of the things to you that we aren't able to say in person._

_Where to start...first of all, you were our surprise, unexpected baby. We did not plan for you, but you were our miracle cihld. Fiding out we were pregnant was terrifying especially so early on. We were not ready to be parents to completely honest with you. We were forced to grow up sooner rather than later. But boy was it worth it. We wouldn't have traded anything in the world to go back to our life before you. You were such a blessing to us. Lucas and I had so much love to give, and the love we felt for you was overwhelming in a good way._

_Not knowing how far into the future we were taken from you, our time with you when we were alive was more than we could have asked for. I'm sitting here in a hospital bed just two days after I gave birth to you as I write this. You're laying at my feet sleeping so peacefully making little noises as you stretch those precious little arms and feet of yours. It's hard to imagine not being there to watch you grow up-not watch you take those first steps, say those first words, go to school for the first time, teach you to drive a car for the first time, go to your first dance or on your first date, and today...watch you graduate from high school. Writing this letter is probably the hardest thing we have ever had to do or even think about, but if you're reading this then completely necessary._

_We want you to do great things with your life, Sophie, because you were born to be amazing. Whatever you decide to be or wherever you decide to go, we will be watching down on you and guiding you in this life. Work hard and never give up. Seek help when needed and give help whenver you can. Surround yourself with family and friends who love you completely and who won't take advantage or you or hold you back from all of the amazing things you are destined to do in your life. Don't focus on the petty drama or living your life based on the vision someone else has set for you. None of that stuff matters. You know what does matter-love, friendship, family. Having the best job or the highest paying job or the fancy house/car or having more money than you know what to do with doesn't matter. Nothing matters unless you have the love and support of people around you to share those things with. People are what matter, Sophie._

_That's why we chose Nathan and Haley to be your parents. Again, we are unaware if they accepted complete guardianship for you, but in our hearts, we have no doubts about that. Aside from you, they were the most important people in our lives. And they have stood by our sides for as long as either of us can remember. And they fell in love with you before you were even born. And the way they were holding you and looking at you so lovingly after I gave birth to you is just the beginning of the love they're going to show you. Just the beginning of the many many ways they're going to be there for you. We know that you're going to have an amazing life with them. They are who we chose to take care of you. They are who we want. And they are who we know you're going to want._

_I know you'll probably feel sad at times and mourn our loss, and that's more than okay. That feeling will probably always be with you and never fully leave. But don't dwell on it, sweetie. You were the best things to happen to us, and more than anything we want you to live your life to the fullest. Don't get stuck in the past or dream of 'what could have been'. It's just a waste since you can't change the past. We wish we could be there with you, but unfortunately we had a different destiny planned for us._

_But never doubt how much we love you, because words can't even describe the immense love we have for you. We are so proud of you for whatever you do in life. And we will always be there for you-day or night. We will be there. We love you. And don't go too easy on Nathan and Haley._

_Love,_

_Lucas and Brooke (Dad and Mom)_

Sophie folded the letter back up placing it back into the pocket of her jacket as she wiped the fallen tears from her eyes. She couldn't really explained the emotions she was feeling. It felt really special to receive a letter written from her parents to her. It felt like closure in a way which sounded weird as she thought that in her head. Not closure in the 'moving on' type of closure or anything like that. Maybe closure in the simplest way of reading something they had written to her. Over the years she has questioned why her parents were taken from her so suddenly which seemed pretty normal, but she never felt anger over it. She felt sadness, still does, but never anger. She suspected that may have to do with having Nathan and Haley there in their absense.

Looking back up at their headstones, she smiled. "I love you guys, too. More than you'll ever know. More than I'll ever be able to tell you in person. But I believe that you are up there watching over me. I've felt you watching over me through the years, and it's providing me with so much comfort and solitude. I was only a year old when you died, but I know that year was something special. I know you were the most amazing parents. Over the years, I have dreamed of having the two of you in my life in the physical sense. That's something I'll always do. On my wedding day, I'll fantasize about dad walking me down the aisle or mom helping me get dressed in my gorgeous gown designed by her. I know I'll cry tears. It's a fact-a given. But I won't let it consume me. Not when I know that you'll be there either way. I love you guys so much.

And I want to thank you for choosing Nathan and Haley as my parents. With you guys gone, I couldn't have asked for better parents. They have given me the most amazing life. I love them so much. I'm sure you know, but they got married. I've heard plenty of stories over the years at how they were with one another in high school and college...pretty much until I came into their lives. It would be hard to believe seeing them now-so full of love and happiness. And they've given me a brother and a sister, Brooklyn Ann Scott and James Lucas Scott. They're great. Brooke and I fight like cats and dogs, but I love her so much. I am grateful for having her as a sister-the same with Jamie as a brother.

I have a pretty good life. I really have nothing to complain about. I have things to be sad about...obviously. But my life is good. So I just wanted to thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for me. I will never forget you or stop loving you. I will always look for guidance from you. I love you."

Sophie finished wiping some more tears from her eyes. She felt a slight breeze blow passed her and she closed her eyes. Maybe it was or maybe it wasn't, but she took that as a sign that her parents were listening and looking down at her right now. Naive-maybe. But hopeful is the more accurate term. She felt a stillness envelope around her. She didn't leave right away. Instead she stayed there for a couple more hours as she laid down completely on her back staring up at the starry night sky above her.

* * *

><p><em>Haley used her keys to unlock the door hearing it latch as she turned the knob opening the door. Securing the bag around her shoulders, she walked into the apartment before closing the door and locking it behind her. She dropped the bag onto the floor, slipped the wedges off of her feet, and headed into the kitchen pulling out a bottle of water quickly taking a big gulp out of it letting out a refreshing sigh once she was finished. Letting out a yawn, she felt the exhaustion of her drive hit her. Screwing the cap of her water back onto the bottle and placing it back in the refrigerator, she then headed towards the bedroom. Discarding the sweater from her body, she threw it on the foot of the bed before spotting a folded up note with Haley written on the outside laying on top of the pillow. Arching her eyebrows quisitively, she picked up the note and opened it up.<em>

_You must be exhausted right now from the drive so I figured this was the best place to leave this. Take your nap, wake up, __get dressed in something sexy which shouldn't be hard since that includes anything you own, and be ready by eight o'clock tonight._

_Haley smiled down at the words before placing the note on the small dresser next to the bed. Pulling back the comforter and the sheet, she climbed in getting settled comfortably as she quickly fell asleep._

_It was just a few short hours later when Haley walked out of the bedroom dressed in a simple black cocktail dress. The neckline was horizontal with thin straps around her shoulders. The fabrick was tighter around her breasts down to her waist flowing out slightly at her legs stopping just above her knees. There was no detail or other colors-just simple and classy black. Her hair was thrown up in a ponytail with a layer of hair forming a circle around the bast of the ponytail as loose, curly tendrils dangled down slightly passed her shoulders. Her eye makeup was darker creating a smoky yet elegant look. A light blush highlighted her cheeks and lightly pink tinted glass adorned her lips. As she slipped her heels on a knock sounded at the door. Walking over to it, __she swung it open instantly coming face to face with some white orchids. She smiled casting her eyes upwards until meeting his ocean blue ones. "Hi." She greeted quietly before taking in his appearance as he stood in front of her wearing a black pair of trouser pants and black button-down dress shirt. Why did he always look so damn good? She asked herself rhetorically._

_"Hi." He returned leaning forward kissing her chastely._

_She took the flowers into her hands bringing them up to her nose taking a whiff of their deluctable scent. "And what's tonight all about?"_

_"Our anniversary."_

_"But our anniversary isn't technically until tomorrow." She stated raising an eyebrow._

_"True." He said stepping into the apartment and wrapping his arms around her waist leaning forward until he was hovering against her face. "But I was kind of hoping we could spend tomorrow here. You know-in bed." He added smirking at the look on her face. "All day."_

_"I like the way you think." She stated kissing his lips._

_The two lost themselves in their kiss before Nathan broke apart as they both panted trying to catch their breaths. "As much as I would love to continue this, we do have dinner reservations."_

_Haley pouted, "Fine. I am kind of hungry. Where are we going?"_

_"That is a surprise, my beautiful wife." He said and waited as she placed the flowers into a vase filled with water before leading her out of their apartment and to the SUV in the parking garage, and then he drove them a few minutes until reaching their destination._

_A smile invaded Haley's face as she saw where he was taking her. The Pewter Bistro. "Nathan." She said breathlessly while he parked the SUV in an open spot. Her mind instantly flashed back to the last and only time they had ever come here. It was for their first "date" and the night they had made love for the first time. She was caught up in her thoughts and failed to noticed Nathan had already climbed out of the SUV and had just opened up the passenger side door. He helped her climb out of the vehicle closing the door softly behind her. They shared a smile before he led her into the restaurant._

_Twenty minutes later, the two were enjoying their dinners. Haley sipped her wine closing her eyes enjoying the smooth taste as it traveled down her throat._

_"I kind of wanted to discuss something with you tonight." Nathan said._

_"Okay." She said setting her glass back down on the table's surface. "Should I be worried?"_

_"No." He laughed. "I've been thinking a lot about the team and everything. I know we've made the past five years worked with my traveling back and forth between Charlotte and Tree Hill, but I'm kind of tired of it. I miss being home with you and the kids."_

_"But you're not gone all the time. You work a lot from home." She countered softly._

_"I know. But I just don't want to do it anymore. I hate that moment when I have to start packing and walk out the door leaving you guys again. And even this weekend. We're lucky that we have such amazing people in our lives that are always so willing to take care of the kids so you can come here so we can actually spend our anniversary together. I don't want to have to worry about that. I don't care that it's just a few times a year that I'm away. I don't want to spend any more time away anymore, and I am really tired of the traveling. I want to be at home with you guys."_

_Haley smiled, "I'd really like that. Sophie, Brooke, and Jamie would really like that. But Nathan, are you sure? Because this is your job, and it's what you love. We have been making it work this long, and I know we can continue. I mean, are you absolutely sure this is what you want to do?"_

_"Yes, it is. I am one hundred percent sure. So I think I'm going to do one more year with the Bobcats and start looking for a new owner to replace me. And then once I'm back home, maybe you can finally go back to work at the hospital." He suggested and smiled at the grin forming on his wife's face. __"I know you want to go back to work."_

_"I do." She admitted. "I mean, I'm more than okay with staying home with the kids, but I would also be lying if I said I didn't miss it. I think about it a lot. I loved being a nurse and working in the hospital." She declared._

_"Well, I've been fortunate enough to have basketball as a part of my life for the past nine years with the complete support of my family, and it's only fair for you to get to have the thing you were most passionate about before we all came along once again, too. Plus, you look sexy as hell in scrubs." __He added with a smirk._

_"Really?" She questioned huskily leaning closer to him. "So I guess this means I'm going to be your sugar mama."_

_"I guess so." He said as they both chuckled before kissing one another only to be interrupted by their waitress asking if they were going to be ordering any dessert for the evening. They ordered a small dessert to share as well as a couple more glasses of wine. After they ate, the two were on their way back to their apartment. After Nathan parked the SUV, Haley jumped out of the passenger seat and walked around the car to the driver's seat. She saw his motorcycle sitting in its usual spot covered. She smirked and turned towards her husband, "So tonight was basically kind of a replay of our first 'date', right?"_

_"Yeah." He answered looking at her confused noticing the look on her face. He watched as she nodded slowly before her eyes glanced to her side over at his motorcycle. A smirk of his own formed on from his lips. "Haley James, are suggesting what I think you are?"_

_Haley only quirked her eyebrow in response._

_Haley waited for Nathan to climb onto the motorcycle before she followed swinging her right leg over the bike and __plopping down on the seat behind him. It was a really good thing her dress was flowy rather than tight at the bottom. __There would be no way she could do this without pulling her dress all the way up to the tops of her thighs had she been __more constricted. Steadying herself using Nathan's shoulders as a brace, she lifted her legs so she could rest her feet onto __the small pegs at her sides before placing her hands on his waist._

_Nathan grabbed ahold of her hands and wrapped them tighter around his waist so she was flush up against his back. "Are __you ready for the ride of your life, Haley James?" He asked mimicking his words from the first time they had done this._

_"Scott. It's Haley James Scott." She whispered seductively in his ears. "And yes, I am. Show me what you got, Nathan Scott." __That same adrenaline from before passed through her body when he reved up the engine as they both slipped their helmets __on. She couldn't believe they had never done this again until now. Even with three young children at home and their crazy, __hectic lives, they should have found the time to go for a ride occassionally. With her arms securely wrapped around his __waist, she let out a little yelp this time as well as he took off._

_Nathan took them on the same scenic route as he did the first time. And just life before, the deserted back country road __with stars illuminating the night sky heightened the overall experience. The sky wasn't as stary as before with the few __storm clouds invading the night sky as well, but it was still an enjoyable ride. The wind was blowing in her face, and Haley __loved every second of it. It was such a thrilling rush which had her never wanting this moment to end. They drove for __another fifteen minutes before they decided to head back to the apartment. Just as they were approaching the city limits, __raindrops began falling from the clouds onto them. It was a slow rain, but they both knew it was just a matter of time __before it fell faster and harder._

_Haley felt Nathan accelerate the gas and tightened her hold around his waist. She watched as he pulled into the parking lot __of the closest motel which happened to be just at the right time as the rain was definitely falling harder. He parked in one __of many vacant spots as they both climbed off of the bike. He grabbed her hand, and they ran towards the motel's entrance __with the rain pelting down on them. By the time they made it into the lobby they were both soaked._

_"It's a little wet out there, isn't it?" A middle aged man behind the desk wearing a black suit was standing in front of a __computer. His hair was blonde with balding spots in it as he sported a welcoming smile on his face._

_"Just a little." Nathan said as the three of them laughed._

_"Well, welcome to the Super 8 Charlotte University Motel. My name is Don Herring. What can I do for the two of you on this rainy __evening?"_

_"We need a room for the night. Anything you've got." Nathan answered pulling his wallet out of his back pocket._

_Over the next five minutes, Nathan and Haley paid for their motel room checking in before Don handed them their key __cards and told them the location of their room. Haley shivered as Nathan fumbled with the key unlocking the door and __leading her into their room. "You do realize that we have no clothes or anything with us." She said smiling at him._

_Nathan grabbed her by the waist and pushed her gently up against the closed door. He smirked walking closer into her __body. "That's more than okay, because we don't exactly need any clothes." He said huskily his lips brushing ever so __slightly against hers in a teasing manner._

_Haley closed her eyes feeling a hitch in her breath. All she wanted to do was feel his lips on hers, and she wanted to scream __at him for his actions. "Nathan." She pouted opening her eyes immediately staring into his ocean blue ones. She smirked __at him as they met in a kiss not wasting any time opening their mouths for one another. Their tongues met as the __passionate exploded between them. Their bodies practically melted together with their cold, wet clothes clinging to them._

_Their hands wandered all over each others' bodies leaving no place untouched over their clothes. His were currently __traveling up her thighs venturing further underneath her wet clothes. He kept inching higher and higher expecting to meet __her panty line which should be any second now yet the higher he ventured he still found nothing. Breaking their kiss, he __leaned back instantly hearing her panting and looked into her eyes questioningly._

_"You weren't the only one with surprises planned for tonight." She stated mischievously and watched the smirk grow wider __on his lips. His already dark eyes darkened even more, and she felt his hands traveling to her backside where the pressure __he was using with his hands increased greatly._

_It wasn't long after that they shed out of their clothes and found themselves laying on the bed as they met each other __thrust for thrust. They tried to stifle their loud moans which proved to be difficult with the immense pleasure they were __inducing in one another. Their love making consisted of interchanging between fast and rough to slow and sensual. __Minutes ticked by as sweat covered their bodies both feeling themselves on the brink of their orgasms. With one final __thrust, they let go simaltaneously clinging to each other as their orgasms ripped through their bodies._

_Calming down from his high, Nathan leaned his head back so he could look at his wife. He stared into her big, beautiful __brown eyes. He loved her eyes. They were so soulful and expressive telling everything she was feeling. He could stare into __them all day and all night. He glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. 12:05. "Happy anniversary, Haley." He said __quietly._

_"Happy anniversary, Nathan." She returned as they shared a soft smile. "It's been an amazing five years."_

_"It's just the beginning." He stated leaning back down and capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. "I love you."_

_"I love you, too." She mumbled against his lips._

Holding onto Nathan's hand, Haley followed him up the stairs in Karen's Cafe until they walked through the open door leading to the rooftop. The first thing she noticed was the picnic table. A vase filled with a dozen red roses, a couple of lighted candles, two covered plates, two wine glasses, and a bottle of champagne adorned the surface. "What are you up to, Nathan Scott?" She asked turning towards him.

"Well, we didn't really get the chance to celebrate our anniversary since we've been so busy with Sophie's graduation ceremony and the party not to mention taking care of our other two children. And since all of our kids are out with their friends for the evening, tonight..." He began as he drew her into his arms. "Is for us." He finished kissing her sensually on her lips.

Haley moaned against his lips, "That sounds perfect."

"And I have a deliciously deluctable meal prepared for us this evening." He said latching onto her hand and leading her over to the picnic table. Placing the pointer finger and thumb of his left hand into the open slot of the silver tin lid, he lifted up.

"Aww, mac and cheese. Food of the Gods." She said dreamily.

Nathan poured some champagne into the empty glasses and handed Haley one while keeping one for himself. "To my beautiful wife, we have been through so much together over the years. I don't know any other way to say this other than to simply say it. You saved me. I found myself through you. Even back in high school when I was crazy about you, I never let you in. I never let you see it. But you pushed and pushed and years later, I was able to finally break down that barrier and let you in. I let you see me. And you didn't turn away. You stayed. I've had so many people who have come and gone in my life-some by choice and others by unfortunate circumstances. Because of that, I find it difficult to trust people. But I trust you with everything I have.

Life hasn't been easy over the past fifteen years. We've gone through our fair share of ups and downs. We've yelled and cried. But even in the midst of all of that, we stayed. All of the fighting and the yelling couldn't tear us apart, because we're better and stronger together. Some days I really dislike you, and I know you've felt the same way about me."

Haley laughed knowing that was definitely true.

"But our love always remained the same. In fact, it has only grown immensely over the years. I will never stop loving you, Haley James Scott. You are my entire world. We have a beautiful daughter, and you gave me two beautiful additional children. Our family is perfect in every sense except for the actual definition of perfect if that makes sense. Happy anniversary." He finished clinking their wine glasses together.

"Happy anniversary. I love you, too, Nathan Scott." She returned taking a sip of the bubbly champagne. Placing her glass down on the table, she stood up and placed both her hands around his pulling on them motioning for him to stand up with her. "Dance with me."

"There's no music." He stated as he was now standing.

"So. When do we ever need music?" She asked rhetorically wrapping her arms around his neck as he did the same to her waist. Flush against one another, the two swayed back and forth as Haley hummed the tune of a song softly. "You know," She began breaking their comfortable silence. "Your speech was a little..."

At her words, Nathan looked down to her immediately seeing the smirk formed from her lips. "My speech was a little what?" He challenged and smiled as she said nothing in response. "I know. It was a little 'deep'. I got in touch with my inner girl for a short while."

"Hey, I was going to say perfect."

He shook his head and chuckled at her obvious lie. "You are too much sometimes."

"Kidding aside...it was perfect. I can't believe it's been fifteen years. Time has flown by." She said as he nodded in agreement. "Fifteen years is incredibly. When you look at the divorce rates in the United States, it's amazing we have made it this far."

"Well, we have something those other couples didn't. Love and dedication. We didn't go into our marriage thinking it might or could fail. We went into it know that it was going to be hard, but that's what love is. Marriage isn't just 'hey, we love each other let's get married'. It's so much more than that, and it requires patience and hardwork and so much more. It's believing the old saying 'love conquers all'."

"You really are getting pretty deep tonight." She stated with a chuckle.

"Like I said. I'm getting in touch with my inner girl tonight." He responded.

"It's very sexy." She whispered seductively.

"Is it now?" He asked as she nodded. He leaned forward and just as their lips were about to touch, rain began pouring down on them. They looked up to the sky in disbelief before looking at one another again. "Well, rain seems pretty fitting tonight." He said not wasting a second longer before capturing her in a sintalating kiss leaving the both of them breathless.

They continued their mini makeout session on the rooftop as well as dancing in the rain for the next several minutes. Haley pulled back staring up into his soulful, blue eyes. "Thank you for an amazing fifteen years."

"You're welcome, and thank you. And here's to at least fifty more." He said as they shared a soft smile.

"I love you, Nathan Scott."

"I love you, Haley James Scott."

The two declared passionately before once again embracing in a kiss.

**There you go. That's the final chapter of Life As We Know It! Please let me know what you guys think. I hope I ended it satisfactory. And again, I apologize for the lone wait.**

**It has been a true pleasure writing this story, and thank you for taking this "journey" with me.**


	32. Author's Note

Hey, everyone! No, this is not another chapter. Haha! It's just a little Author's Note.

I want to send a big thank you out to paigematthewsfan21, nathybozo, GottaluvNaley, C, courtneylovejason, kutebloo, thekellay, solo73, antsB (chapter 27), saderia, tp404, Othfan48, naleyluv, SPNALEY, and anyone who logged in as a guest for your reviews of the last chapter. Your words, like usual, were so kind and sweet. I never get tired of reading what all of you guys have to say. And thank you to anyone who has reviewed any of the chapters in this story throughout the publishing of it. I have been blown away by your responses-not only concerning the story but concerning my pregnancy and stuff. You are all so amazing and instantly put a smile on my face.

Also, thank you for all of the story alerts and author alerts I have received as well. It's so wonderful knowing people are interested in this story as well as me as an author. It truly is inspiring. It makes me want to stop everything I've got going on in real life just to write. Haha! But unfortunately, I can't do that. :) But thank you tremendously for all of the support I have received.

I know there have been some inquiring or hopeful that I'll be posting another story in the future. I will tell you guys that I am working on publishing another one. I am unsure when I'll be able to get it up. I have been brainstorming story ideas, and I have two that I'm currently working. I have started timelines and such stuff for each one. I have even written some actual scenes/dialogues for each story as well. However, my life is CRAZY right now. I am less than two months away from my due date and have been busily preparing for the baby's arrival. SO...I don't want to post anything yet until I know I'm going to have some time to write and not get so side-tracked with real life. That's part of the reason why I'm writing chapters and stuff now. I kind of want to get a jump/head start on things so it will make putting chapters up hopefully run smoother and faster.

So I would love to get a story published before I have the baby but please don't take my word for that. It might be a couple more months. But I am very interested in writing more stories, and they'll of course be Naley. ;)

So again, thank you SO MUCH for the story alerts, author alerts, and reviews I have received throughout this story. And thank you in advance if there are any more in the future. I probably won't be adding another page like this after each review. Haha! So thank you.

I am also hoping to finally update my little blog I have going on. I logged onto it for the first time in like forever today and realized I haven't even finished my reviews for season 9. I'm a total slacker, I know. :) And plus, I have a lot of pictures to add, and very soon even more pictures to add. I can't wait.

Anyway, that's all I have to say. So stay tuned for another story if you're intersted, and hopefully I'll be able to do something sooner rather than later. Thanks again! And until the next story!

-Haley :)


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